What bandsaw blade for REALLY hard woods?

[manysteps]

What bandsaw blade (width and TPI) would you recommend for cutting really hard core woods like Wenge, purpleheart, and the like?

Mind you, I will need to also cut a rounded taper into the handle at the fades, so I'm not sure a 1/2" blade would be a good idea for that.

I'll be cutting about a 3' belly taper of 2" thick wood, so it's a lot of stress on the blade ending with the handle area.

Thanks for your advice!

[chamookman]

A 1/2 " with 3 tpi worked very well for Me roughing tons of Osage  ! Bob

[Stick Bender]

I been just keeping a 1/2 4 tpi blade on for every thing these days it cuts belly lams with only minor chatter ,I run them threw on pre made taper sleds made from bamboo flooring and works great I have only been making shallow ramped risers lately so Im not sure of your question there ,I have cut all kinds of domestic & imported hard woods with no issues with that set up !

[DC]

I use a 1/2" 3TPI. I start my cut at the tip and use a long slope at the fades. I finish the fades with a rasp.

[half eye]

I also use 3 or 4 tpi and either 3/4 or 12 inch blades (prefer the 3/4). I have not seen any answers discussing the set and rake though. I use 3 Hook or 4 Hook which give me a good tooth rake but more importantly the full gullet gives excellent kerf cleaning as well. This style seems to handle the hardwoods very well but will also do a good job on the inter tangled grain woods like ripping elm ash etc.
rich

[Stick Bender]

The other thing I noticed when doing a lot of hard woods of different mix is the blades & wheels build up a lot of resins & oils I have been using CMT orange cleaner after every use and my blades last a lot longer, the oil & resigns cause a lot of friction heat & destroy blades ,I think if I where going to dedicate my band saw to lams only I would use a 1 '' Lenox veneer  slicer blade 6 TPI no rake when I use it they come out as smooth as drum sanding ! But it's a pain for me to change blades all the time so the 1/2 '' blade is a good compromise, I can do most general purpose bow work with it !

[ohma2]

Ill add that you dont force wood through the blade let the blade do the cutting at its own speed.just like sandpaper no ecsess force let the tool cut at its own rate.