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160mm blade for Festool TS55 and other plunge saws

Updated: 22 October 2026

The title says 160 mm and 20 mm. A 160mm blade for Festool TS55-pattern machines has to match the kerf year as well as the diameter and the bore. Older saws are often set up around 2.2 mm. TS 55 F and TSC 55 K saws from 2021 are in Festool’s 1.8 mm family. The knife follows the kerf, so the families do not swap. The listings are on the [160x20 saw blade comparison](/hub/saw-accessories/160x20-saw-blade). Festool’s UK page, Protrade’s PW12 note and a UK Workshop report were read on 19 October 2026. A qualifying amazon.co.uk purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The title says 160 mm and 20 mm. A 160mm blade for Festool TS55-pattern machines has to match the kerf year as well as the diameter and the bore. Older saws are often set up around 2.2 mm.

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What 160 by 20 guarantees

A 160 mm diameter and a 20 mm bore tell you the plate can sit on that arbor. They do not tell you the kerf. Festool’s HW 160×1.8×20 W18 page states 160 mm, a 20 mm hole and a 1.8 mm cutting width, for the TS 55 F, TSC 55 K, HK 55 and HKC 55. 160 by 20 without a third number is an incomplete fit. Mafell is not one size across the range. The Trend listings name the Mafell MS 55, beside Festool HK 55 EBQ, TS 55 FEBQ and Metabo KS 55 FS. The other checks are on the 160x20 saw blade buying guide.

2.2 mm saws and 1.8 mm saws

Older Festool TS 55 blades on UK trade lists are often 2.2 mm kerf. Festool’s current HW 160×1.8×20 family is 1.8 mm. Protrade’s Festool 205550 PW12 states 12 teeth and 1.8 mm for TS 55 F and TSC 55 K saws from 2021. A UK Workshop contributor says the 2.2 mm and 1.8 mm riving knives differ, so the blades are not interchangeable. That is a forum report, not Festool’s own page. A 2.2 mm blade in a saw set up for 1.8 mm can leave the knife tight. A 1.8 mm blade in a 2.2 mm saw can leave the knife too far from the plate. If you own a TS 55 F from 2021, start from 1.8 mm. If the earlier saw is the 2.2 mm pattern, look for 2.2 mm. HSE’s bench-saw guidance says the knife should be thicker than the plate and thinner than the kerf.

What these listings actually print

The kept amazon.co.uk listings rarely print 1.8 mm. The Trend pack states 2.2 mm in the title and 1.6 mm in the thickness field, with a +15° hook. The Trend single states 2.4 mm in the title and 2.2 mm in the thickness field, with a +5° hook. Both name the TS 55 FEBQ. Neither title says 1.8 mm. On a 2021 TS 55 F, neither Trend title is the Festool 1.8 mm family. The amazon Festool listing, ASIN B0GMX9JHJZ, model 578580, is titled HW 160x1.6x20 PW12, 12 teeth, with no review line. Do not treat 1.6 mm as Protrade’s 1.8 mm PW12.

When not to fit it

Offer the plate to the saw with the power off and turn it by hand. If the riving knife or the splinter guard will not pass, take the blade off. Do not grind the guard, and do not run the saw to see if it clears. OX states no kerf, and its components line names diamond blades. BATIOPV states 20 mm in the title and 25 mm in a bullet. Call a repairer when the knife is missing or you are fitting blades for other people at work. PUWER 1998 applies when the saw is work equipment. Tooth count comes after the width, on 48-tooth or rip blade.

Common questions

Will any 160 by 20 blade fit my TS 55?
Diameter and bore can match while the kerf does not. Older TS 55-pattern blades are often 2.2 mm. Festool’s HW 160×1.8×20 family is 1.8 mm for the TS 55 F, TSC 55 K, HK 55 and HKC 55. A UK Workshop report says the riving knives differ, so the blades are not interchangeable.
What changed in 2021?
Protrade’s note on the Festool PW12 205550 says the 1.8 mm kerf suits TS 55 F and TSC 55 K saws from 2021. That blade is 12 teeth and 160 × 1.8 × 20. Earlier trade listings for TS 55 blades are often 2.2 mm. The bore stays 20 mm. The knife changes with the width.
Can I put a 2.2 mm Trend blade on a TS 55 F?
The Trend pack’s title says 2.2 mm, and it names the TS 55 FEBQ, which is the earlier pattern in Festool’s naming. A TS 55 F from 2021 is in the 1.8 mm family on Festool’s own W18 page. Putting the 2.2 mm title onto that newer saw fights the knife. The pack’s thickness field also says 1.6 mm.
What is the amazon Festool blade that says 1.6 mm?
ASIN B0GMX9JHJZ is titled HW 160x1.6x20 PW12, model 578580, 12 teeth, listed at about £35.99, with no review line. Protrade’s PW12 205550 is 1.8 mm for saws from 2021. Those widths are different. The amazon listing also lists 270 g and 246 g. It is not automatically the trade-catalogue blade.
Do Mafell and Metabo use the same bore?
The Trend listings name the Mafell MS 55 and the Metabo KS 55 FS next to a 20 mm bore, along with Festool HK 55 EBQ and TS 55 FEBQ. That is a named list, not a promise for every Mafell saw. Key Blades notes that some Mafell sizes differ. Check the model on your shoe before you treat Mafell in a bullet as a fit.
Does compatible with 165 mm saws mean the blade is 165 mm?
No. The blade in this category is 160 mm across. A compatibility line means some saws accept more than one diameter. Ordering 165 mm because a bullet mentions it will foul a 160 mm shoe.
When is the kerf mismatch a reason to stop?
Stop when the knife or the splinter guard will not pass the plate on a dry spin, with the power disconnected. Stop when the listing gives two widths, or none. A 2.2 mm blade on a 1.8 mm saw from 2021, or a 1.6 mm title treated as a 1.8 mm Festool part, is that situation.

Related pages

Sources

Public UK sources for this comparison, last checked on 19 October 2026.

  1. HSE: Circular saw benches and riving knives (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. HSE: Woodworking standards, including BS EN 847-1 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. BSI: BS EN 847-1:2017 circular saw blade safety requirements (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 11 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Festool UK: HW 160×1.8×20 W18 circular saw blade (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. Protrade: Festool PW12 160 x 1.8 x 20, saws from 2021 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. Festool TS 55 FEQ manual: rotation arrows must match (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. UK Workshop: TS 55 F kerf and riving knife (retrieved 19 October 2026)