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The fact that Bosch came up with these remarkable jigsaw blades is no surprise to anyone using a Bosch jigsaw. We all know that Bosch has jigsaws figured out! Click image to enlarge

Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades

Who Woulda' Thunk it! Clean cuts top and bottom!

Text, photos and video by Tom Hintz

Posted - 10-13-2008

We usually notice jigsaw blades only when they perform in a way that we don't like. Despite being the longtime builder of the jigsaws commonly rated as the best there is and an equally well accepted line of jigsaw blades, Bosch continues to seek ways of improving their products. Enter the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades.

Simply put the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades are designed to cut cleaner in more fragile materials and last longer. I would welcome either goal on its own but am happily surprised that Bosch was able to accomplish both. One day I will learn to not be surprised at what Bosch can do.

The Design

These Swiss-made blades have unique teeth (left) that gives them their super clean cutting. The tooth pattern differs (right) from top half to the bottom half. Click images to enlarge

At the heart of the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades is their patented tooth design that cuts on both the up and down strokes. Nearly all other blades cut only on either the upstroke or down stroke, not both. The Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades dual direction cutting produces a cleaner cut on both the top and bottom, including far less chipping in fragile woods. That eliminates having to flip workpieces over or pondering how to cut from a side that is not easily accessible, all in an attempt to reduce chipping and tearout.

The 12-TPI Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades have what Bosch calls scalpel and pointed teeth. The scalpel teeth (bottom half of blade) cut cleaner at the bottom surface while the pointed teeth from (top half of the blade) produce clean edges at the top surface. The Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades are 4-1/2"-long which gives them a greater range of compatible material thicknesses. This unique tooth design works well with hardwoods and softwoods, MDF, melamine, plywood, and laminated materials.

In the Shop

The cuts shown here (left) were made one from the top and the other from the bottom. You can see both are identical and chip free, including the fragile finish! This Bosch Xtra Clean for Wood blade (right) was used extensively during our testing and stayed sharp the whole time.

Seeing the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades in use is the only true way to witness the difference they make. I have long been a Bosch jigsaw user and enjoyed the quality cut they produce. Click in a Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades (they only come in the popular T-shank style) and that level of quality jumped noticeably.

I tried the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades while cutting all of the wood species I could find in my shop. Cutting everything from pine to walnut, splinter-prone (very dry) red oak and veneer plywood with the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades failed to produce the chipping and splintering seen with nearly all other blades I have tried. Where most blades cut clean on either the top or bottom surface, the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades leave a clean edge on both. That simplifies making cuts on better projects because you don't have to figure out how to make the cut from the other side to prevent messing up the visible side of the cut. That saves time, frustration and money.

Just as surprising was that the super sharp cutting edge on the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades stayed sharp for noticeably long periods. Bosch obviously chose the right materials for these blades and the grinding angles they use do not appear to create fragile edges or teeth. I cut lots of hardwood with the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades and they maintained their performance both in terms of cutting speed and quality of cut.

The Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades produce the best cut quality when used with a zero orbital setting. While this is true to some extent with most jigsaw blades, it enhances the capabilities of the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades. It does slow the cut rate slightly but for the quality of the edges you get, this is a very small price to pay.

Conclusions

The Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades are a welcome development from the folks who obviously know a bunch about jigsaws. With a street price of just $7.85 (5-pack, 10-12-2008) using the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades is by no means a bank-breaker. If you want to step up the performance of your jigsaw, even if it is a Bosch, you have to try the Bosch Extra Clean for Wood Jigsaw Blades.

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