Saw Blades
Understanding Saw Blade Tooth Geometry: ATB, FTG, TCG, and Hi-ATB Explained
Understanding Saw Blade Tooth Geometry: ATB, FTG, TCG, and Hi-ATB Explained
Tooth count tells you how many teeth are on the blade. Tooth geometry tells you what those teeth actually do. The difference is everything.
Most woodworkers choose a blade by tooth count alone. 24 teeth for ripping, 80 teeth for crosscuts, done. And that's not wrong — but it's incomplete. Two blades with the same tooth count can produce completely different results depending on how those teeth are shaped.
That shape is called tooth geometry, and it's the most overlooked factor in saw blade selection.
Why Tooth Geometry Matters More Than You Think
A saw blade doesn't cut wood the way a knife cuts bread. Each tooth is a tiny tool that does one of two things:
- Severs wood fibers (clean cut)
- Removes material (chip clearance)
The geometry of the tooth determines which of those jobs it does well — and which one it does poorly.
Two 80-tooth blades:
- 80T ATB — excellent for crosscuts, produces smooth edges
- 80T TCG — excellent for laminate and melamine, prevents chipping
Same tooth count. Completely different applications. Understanding the difference is what separates a good cut from a ruined workpiece.
For more on matching blades to materials, see our guide on how to choose the right saw blade.
The Four Main Tooth Grinds
1. ATB — Alternate Top Bevel
What it looks like: Teeth alternate between a left bevel and a right bevel. Like a tiny chisel, each tooth slices wood fibers at an angle.
Best for:
- Crosscutting solid wood
- Plywood and veneered panels
- Any cut where the edge will be visible
Why it works: The angled bevel severs fibers cleanly on both sides of the kerf, preventing tear-out.
Limitation: The pointed tips are more fragile than flat-top teeth. Not ideal for ripping — the points dull faster in long rip cuts.
Variations:
- Standard ATB — 20–25° bevel angle. Good all-around crosscut grind.
- Hi-ATB — 25–40° bevel angle. Steeper angle = cleaner severance = smoother finish. Best for ultra-fine cuts on plywood, melamine, and figured hardwood.
Tooth pattern example: A 40T ATB blade has 40 teeth, all alternating left-right bevel.
2. FTG — Flat Top Grind
What it looks like: Every tooth has a flat top — no bevel, no angle. Like a tiny chisel cutting straight down.
Best for:
- Ripping solid wood
- Fast, aggressive material removal
- Dados and grooves (flat-bottomed cuts)
Why it works: Flat-top teeth are the strongest geometry. They don't have a fragile pointed tip, so they resist chipping and dulling during the sustained stress of rip cuts. The flat bottom of each tooth also clears chips efficiently through the large gullets between teeth.
Limitation: Produces a rougher crosscut. The flat teeth crush and tear wood fibers rather than slicing them. You'll see more tear-out on crosscuts.
Tooth pattern example: A 24T FTG rip blade has 24 flat-top teeth. Simple, strong, aggressive.
3. TCG — Triple Chip Grind
What it looks like: Alternates between a flat-top tooth and a chamfered tooth (with the corners ground off). The flat tooth makes the initial cut; the chamfered tooth cleans up and widens the kerf.
Best for:
- Melamine and laminate (prevents chipping)
- Non-ferrous metals (aluminum, brass, copper)
- MDF and very hard composites
- Any material prone to surface chipping
Why it works: The combination of flat and chamfered teeth produces a shearing cut that doesn't tear the surface. On laminated materials, this is the difference between a clean edge and a chipped, ruined panel.
Limitation: Not ideal for solid wood crosscuts. The cut quality on natural wood grain is inferior to ATB.
Tooth pattern example: An 80T TCG blade alternates: flat, chamfered, flat, chamfered.
4. Hi-ATB — High Alternate Top Bevel
What it looks like: Same as ATB but with a steeper bevel angle (25–40° vs the standard 20–25°). The more extreme angle creates a sharper, more aggressive slicing action.
Best for:
- Ultra-fine finish cuts
- Plywood and pre-finished panels
- Figured hardwood where tear-out is a concern
- Melamine (when TCG isn't available)
Why it works: The steeper bevel creates a more acute cutting edge that severs fibers even more cleanly than standard ATB. The trade-off is that the tips are more fragile and dull faster.
Limitation: Shorter blade life due to the thin, fragile tips. Not suitable for ripping or heavy-duty use.
Combination Patterns: The 4+1 and 5+1
Combination blades use a repeating pattern of ATB teeth followed by a flat raker tooth:
4 ATB + 1 Raker:
- 4 ATB teeth sever fibers for clean cuts
- 1 FTG raker tooth clears the chip from the slot
- Result: good crosscuts AND reasonable rip performance
5 ATB + 1 Raker:
- More ATB teeth = cleaner crosscuts
- Same raker for chip clearance
- Better crosscut quality, slightly slower rip performance
This is why combination blades are the default choice for most table saws. They sacrifice a small amount of rip speed for much better crosscut quality. For more on why combination blades work so well for most projects, see our step-by-step blade selection guide.
How Tooth Geometry Affects Performance
| Factor | ATB | FTG | TCG | Hi-ATB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crosscut quality | Excellent | Poor | Good | Superior |
| Rip speed | Moderate | Fast | Moderate | Slow |
| Edge durability | Good | Excellent | Very good | Fair |
| Plywood/MDF | Good | Poor | Excellent | Excellent |
| Melamine | Fair | Poor | Superior | Very good |
| Solid hardwood | Excellent | Excellent (rip) | Fair | Excellent (crosscut) |
Hook Angle: The Other Geometry Factor
Hook angle is the lean of the tooth face relative to the blade center. It's closely related to tooth geometry:
- Positive hook (15–20°): Aggressive, self-feeding. Pairs well with FTG rip blades.
- Neutral hook (0–10°): Controlled feed rate. Good for combination blades.
- Negative hook (-5° to 0°): Prevents self-feeding. Essential for miter saws and radial arm saws.
Never use a high-positive hook blade on a miter saw. The blade will grab the workpiece and throw it. This is one of the most common — and most dangerous — mistakes. For more on matching blades to saw types, see how to choose the right saw blade.
Gullet Size and Chip Clearance
The gullet is the curved space between teeth. It's where chips collect before being ejected from the cut.
- Larger gullets = better chip clearance = required for ripping (long chips)
- Smaller gullets = more teeth in contact = smoother cut = required for crosscutting
This is why rip blades have few teeth with large gullets, and crosscut blades have many teeth with small gullets. The geometry is designed around the chip size.
Quick Decision Guide
| Material | Recommended Grind | Tooth Count |
|---|---|---|
| Hardwood crosscut | ATB or Hi-ATB | 60–80T |
| Hardwood rip | FTG | 24–30T |
| General purpose | 4 ATB + 1 Raker | 50T |
| Plywood | ATB or Hi-ATB | 60–80T |
| Melamine/laminate | TCG | 80–100T |
| MDF | TCG or Hi-ATB | 60–80T |
| Non-ferrous metal | TCG | 60–80T |
For hardwood-specific recommendations, see best saw blades for hardwood. For a brand-level comparison of which companies offer which grinds, see CMT vs Freud vs Amana.