The Festool 496305 HW 160x2,2x20 PW12 Wood Rip Cut Saw Blade for TS 55 / TSC 55 / ATF 55 is a carbide-tipped circular saw blade made for fast ripping in wood, building panels, and soft plastics. This is a circular plunge cut saw blade designed for rip cutting in sheet goods and solid wood. Model Number: 496305. If your priority is efficient feed speed, reduced resistance, and glue-ready rip cuts from a Festool track saw platform, this blade is built for exactly that job.

The numbers tell you what kind of blade this is. A 160 mm diameter, 12-tooth layout, 2.2 mm cutting width, and 20 degree hook angle put this squarely in the fast-cutting camp. In plain terms, fewer teeth and a more aggressive hook angle help the blade move material out of the cut quickly, which is what you want when ripping lumber, panels, and similar stock. This is not a fine-finish blade meant to baby trim work. It is a work blade for getting through material efficiently.

Festool uses an ATB tooth pattern here, which means the tooth faces alternate left and right as they cut. That tooth geometry helps the blade track cleanly while still giving a better cut quality than a basic rough rip profile. For users cutting plywood, construction panels, softwood, and soft plastics on a plunge saw, that balance matters. You get production-friendly cutting without giving up control or ending up with a ragged edge on every pass.

The thin-kerf design matters more than it sounds. A blade that removes less material creates less resistance in the cut, which helps the saw work easier and can improve cutting efficiency. On a plunge-cut saw, that translates into smoother progress through sheet goods and less wasted material. If you make repeated rip cuts all day, small gains in resistance and waste add up fast.

Festool also calls out laser-cut expansion slots and an oversized 20 mm arbor. Those are not throwaway details. Expansion slots help the blade stay calmer as heat builds during use, and the larger arbor interface helps the blade seat securely on the saw. Both features are aimed at reducing vibration, which is a real-world advantage when you are trying to keep a track saw cut straight and controlled over a long rip. A blade that runs smoother is easier to trust, especially on visible cuts and glue-joint prep.

Compatibility is straightforward and important here. This blade is suitable for the Festool TS 55, TSC 55, and ATF 55. That means it is intended for users already on that Festool plunge saw platform who want a blade matched to the saw's size and application. If you are replacing a worn rip blade or setting up a dedicated blade for fast wood cutting so you do not keep swapping from a finer tooth option, this is a smart way to keep the saw ready for the right job.

Who should buy it? Carpenters, cabinet installers, remodelers, and serious DIY users who run a Festool plunge saw and need efficient rip performance in wood-based materials. If most of your work is breaking down panels, ripping framing stock, trimming sheet goods, or cutting soft plastic with a TS 55 style saw, this blade makes sense. If your main goal is ultra-fine finish cuts in veneers or melamine, you would typically look to a higher-tooth blade instead. This one is for speed, clean enough results, and solid day-to-day ripping performance.

Festool 496305 HW 160x2,2x20 PW12 Wood Rip Cut Saw Blade for TS 55 / TSC 55 / ATF 55 Is the Right Blade When Speed Matters

This is the blade you keep on hand when your Festool plunge saw needs to move through wood and panels quickly without giving up control.

• Who it's for: TS 55, TSC 55, and ATF 55 users doing regular rip cuts in lumber, sheet goods, and soft plastic.
• Why it stands out: The 12-tooth layout, thin kerf, ATB grind, and vibration-reducing design make it a smart dedicated ripping blade instead of a one-blade-does-everything compromise.
• Worth knowing: This is a coarse-cut rip blade. If your main concern is the cleanest possible finish on fine sheet goods, step up to a finer tooth count and keep this one for production ripping.

• What saws does this blade fit? It is listed as suitable for the Festool TS 55, TSC 55, and ATF 55.
• What materials is it designed to cut? This blade is intended for wood, building panels, and soft plastics.
• Is this a fine-finish blade or a ripping blade? It is a wood rip cut blade with 12 teeth, built for coarse and efficient ripping rather than ultra-fine finish work.
• What is the arbor size? The arbor size is 20 mm.