Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Jigsaw blades for metal: pitch, shank, metal count

Updated: 22 October 2026

You have a bracket, a run of trunking or a small cut-out, and the jigsaw is already on the bench. The pack you pick is the part that decides whether the cut stays on the line. Jigsaw blades for metal are sold by thickness and tooth, not by the logo on the saw, and a 50-piece title is often mostly wood blades. Start with the thickest section and the alloy, then check the shank, then count only the metal blades. The [jigsaw blades metal comparison](/hub/saw-accessories/jigsaw-blades-metal) holds the nine amazon.co.uk packs and their prices. Job-by-job picks are on the [best jigsaw blades for metal](/hub/saw-accessories/jigsaw-blades-metal/sub/jigsaw-blades-metal-best) page.

You have a bracket, a run of trunking or a small cut-out, and the jigsaw is already on the bench. The pack you pick is the part that decides whether the cut stays on the line.

Our top picks

Bosch Bosch T118G Basic for Metal, 5 pack

Best overall

Bosch Bosch T118G Basic for Metal, 5 pack
8.7/10about £5.25
View offer
Starrett Starrett BU224 metal jigsaw blades, 5 pack

Rank 2

Starrett Starrett BU224 metal jigsaw blades, 5 pack
9.1/10about £3.89
View offer
TopsTools TopsTools T118A, T118B and T118G, 15 pack

Best value

TopsTools TopsTools T118A, T118B and T118G, 15 pack
8.5/10about £7.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Match the blade to the thickest section
  2. 2.Check the shank before the brand
  3. 3.HSS, bi-metal or HCS
  4. 4.Length and what the pack actually contains
  5. 5.Mistakes that are not a faulty blade

Match the blade to the thickest section

Measure the thickest part, not the thinnest scrap. T118G-class mild sheet is about 0.5–1.5 mm: Bosch’s five-pack, B0009U7B2Q, is £5.25, and the UK page describes a wavy-set milled HSS tooth at 0.7 mm pitch. T118A is about 1–3 mm. T118B is about 2.5–6 mm on Bosch’s UK pages. Stainless wants a rated bi-metal, and that code is not in these nine packs.

Check the shank before the brand

Most current jigsaws are T-shank. U-shank is the older screw clamp. Check the holder with the saw unplugged. Starrett’s BU224, £3.89, is the exception: the listing says the unified shank fits T-shank or U-shank. That claim is for this pack only. Eclipse’s Amazon row states neither shank nor length. Spear & Jackson’s T-shank and 75 mm for the EPT118G are the maker table, not the Amazon bullet.
Bosch Bosch T118G Basic for Metal, 5 pack

Testsieger

Bosch Bosch T118G Basic for Metal, 5 pack
8.7/10about £5.25
View offer

HSS, bi-metal or HCS

Stiff HSS is the ordinary buy for a straight cut in mild sheet. Eclipse, JMD, BGTEC and EXFEIN state HSS on the metal blades. Bosch’s Amazon bullets for the T118G do not, though the UK professional page does. Bi-metal is HSS teeth on a flexible back. Starrett’s BU224 is the clear bi-metal pack here, stated at 1.6–3.2 mm, not as stainless. HCS is the wood body. The split is on HSS vs bi-metal jigsaw blades.

Length and what the pack actually contains

Length is travel, not quality. A 50 mm Starrett runs short on a deep cut. Count metal blades, not the title. BGTEC (£19.79) and EXFEIN (£20.89) each hide ten HSS blades inside forty wood codes. WORKPRO (£14.99) names 5× T118A. The TopsTools 15-piece at £7.99 is the best value across T118A, T118B and T118G. The inch fraction in its bullet does not equal 0.5 mm.

Mistakes that are not a faulty blade

A wood tooth, one pitch for every thickness, or orbital action left on from timber will make a sound blade look spent. That is not automatically a defect. A metal title that arrives as wood blades is a Consumer Rights Act 2015 section 11 point. Structural steel, thick plate, repeated stainless, unclamped sheet and a damaged clamp are the wrong job. If the pitch is right and the cut is still poor, use how to cut metal with a jigsaw.

Common questions

Which jigsaw blade do I need for metal?
Match the thickest section first. About 0.5–1.5 mm mild sheet wants a T118G-class fine tooth, about 1–3 mm a T118A, and about 2.5–6 mm a T118B. Aluminium and stainless are different blades. Then check the shank and buy a pack whose metal-blade count matches the job, rather than the largest number on the title.
What is the difference between T118G, T118A and T118B?
They are thickness bands for mild sheet, not three grades of the same blade. T118G is the fine pitch for about 0.5–1.5 mm. T118A covers about 1–3 mm. T118B covers the thicker sheet, about 2.5–6 mm on Bosch’s UK pages and about 3–6 mm on the TopsTools 25-pack. Using the coarse code on trunking is the usual mistake.
Do I need a T-shank or a U-shank blade?
Look at the holder. Most current jigsaws use a T-shank. Older saws often use a U-shank and a screw clamp. Starrett’s BU224 listing says its unified shank fits both, which you should still try in your clamp. A bullet that says “fits all” is not a shank specification.
Is HSS or bi-metal better for sheet steel?
For a straight cut in mild sheet, stiff HSS is the usual choice and it is what most of these T118 packs are. Bi-metal is the better description when the blade must flex or the metal is stainless. Starrett’s short BU224 is bi-metal for a stated 1.6–3.2 mm, not a reason to skip HSS on ordinary thin mild plate.
Are 50-piece jigsaw sets all metal blades?
No. In this comparison the BGTEC and EXFEIN 50-piece boxes contain ten HSS metal blades and forty wood blades. WORKPRO’s 25-piece is a mixed set with five T118A blades named. Divide the price by the metal blades you will use, not by the number in the title.
Will a metal blade fit a Bosch, DeWalt, Makita or Ryobi jigsaw?
Those current saws are normally T-shank, so a T-shank metal blade is the one to try. Fit still depends on the holder on your saw, not on the brand list in a bullet. Eclipse does not state a shank on the amazon.co.uk row, so check that pack in the clamp before you rely on it.
What if the pack says metal and most of the blades are for wood?
That is normal for the mixed boxes, and it is a problem only if the title led you to expect fifty metal blades. Count the T118 codes. If a listing sold as metal blades arrives as wood blades, that is a description issue under the Consumer Rights Act, which is different from a blade that blunted because the orbital setting was still on.

Related pages

Jigsaw blade

Metal jigsaw blades

Best jigsaw blades for metal by the sheet thickness

How to cut metal with a jigsaw: clamp, oil and feed

HSS vs bi-metal jigsaw blades: straight cut or flex

Jigsaw blade for thin sheet metal, about 0.5–1.5 mm

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated 22.10.2026.

  1. Bosch Professional GB: T118G Basic for Metal (retrieved October 2026)
  2. Bosch Professional GB: T118A Basic for Metal (retrieved October 2026)
  3. Bosch Professional GB: T118B Basic for Metal (retrieved October 2026)
  4. Bosch DIY UK: cutting metal (retrieved October 2026)
  5. Machine Mart: how to use a jigsaw (retrieved October 2026)
  6. Tooled-up: choosing jigsaw blades (retrieved October 2026)
  7. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved October 2026)
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 11 (retrieved October 2026)