Proper break-in of a new band saw blade ensures longer blade life, faster cuts and consistent performance. Think of a new band saw blade as if it was a freshly sharpened pencil, one cannot push down hard on the pencil point without breaking the tip. The teeth on a new blade are razor-sharp much like the tip of the pencil. Failure to break-in a new blade will cause breakage of the blade teeth. One single tooth that chips or strips will put stress on additional teeth which can eventually lead to premature blade failure. In order to break in your blade we suggest starting out with soft solid metals for the first few cuts. When beginning the cutting process lower the feed rate and blade speed to about one-half the normal cutting rate for the first 50-100 square inches of material. From there, gradually increase blade speed and feed rate to the normal cutting rate. It is important to avoid vibration or excessive noise during this process. The break-in procedure will hone the each tooth creating an extremely small radius on its tip allowing it to be capable of withstanding the cutting pressures of band sawing. Blade break in is a simple yet essential way to extend blade longevity and achieve great quality cuts.