Scroll Saw Blades for Steel

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Can anyone recommend any scroll saw blades that will cope with cutting steel, ideally pin-ended blades? I have looked on line,  but I should rather buy on recommendation than buying blind.

Thank you.

James

[Paul Mills 4Participant @paulmills4]

Spent ages looking for metal cutting pin ended  scroll  blades,, never found any, found some that would cut alloy, but weren’t pin ended, used a connector from a small chocblock electrical connector cut in half on each end to fit the hook actually worked okay, but did not try on steel, just alloy and brass, if you find any please let me know.

I think the brand I used were pegas,  but it’s a long time ago so not 100% sure will check tomorrow to see if I can find the packet

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

James, Cannot give a definitive answer and most of the metal I have cut has been with a Piercing saw but the same blades are used in scroll saws.  I have used them in mine for thin metal but I find control is easier with a manual saw !

There seems to be lack of pinned blades and I don’t think they could be made fine enough ?  One thing I have learned — buy quality — Mums own are rubbish.  Vallorbe, Hegner etc I but from Cousins or similar jewellery suppliers.

Here are a couple of links I found that may be useful, if you can put up with the adverts ???

John

https://northernnester.com/can-scroll-saw-cut-metal/

https://shuntool.com/article/what-scroll-saw-blade-to-use-for-metal

 

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

https://www.axminstertools.com/pegas-metal-cutting-scroll-saw-blades-ax877557#:

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Hi James,

 

I’ve only cut thin brass with my scroll saw but I would recommend Olson blades, they are well worth the money and superior to others I have tried.

Olson have a very informative website, have a look here :

https://www.olsonsaw.net/2024/07/scroll-saw-blades-for-metal/

 

Regards,

 

IanT

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

Not sure but can you get a conversion kit so that pinless blades could be used on your scroll saw this will open up a larger range of blades to choose from

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Useful link ^^^  Thank you Ian

… I have bookmarked this page for future reference:

https://www.olsonsaw.net/shop/scroll-saw-blades/pin-end-scroll-saw-blades-5-in-3-in-and-4-in/5-in-pin-end-blades-6-pack/

… now need to find a U.K. source.

MichaelG.

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Edit: __ Their “scroll sanders” also look interesting !

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

Useful information on the Pegas blades from Axminster tools scroll to bottom for metal cutting, you would need to check i they do them pinned.

Pegas Blades

[IanTParticipant @iant]

I purchase mine on Amazon Michael but other UK hobby/model shops also sell them – ‘Hobbies’ for instance.

 

Regards,

 

Ian

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

I’ve trawled the net as far as I’m able for pinned metal scrollsaw blades, so far without result.

Pinless work well enough with the clamps provided with my Scheppach scrollsaw, but pinless would be much quicker and easier to replace when they break – which they do.

I’ve used them (Pegas Nos. 3 & 5) on several sorts of brass, hard copper and titanium, and I *think* they’d work on thin steel up to unhardened gauge plate.

Here’s a toy I made for the grandkids out of 1/4″ brass CZ121:

[IanT]

On IanT Said:

I purchase mine on Amazon Michael but other UK hobby/model shops also sell them – ‘Hobbies’ for instance.

Thanks for that, Ian

MichaelG.

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Thank you for all of the suggestions. I have ordered some plain ended Olsen blades from Amazon. I shall have to  fabricate a way to hold the blade as it only takes pin ended blades currently. It is a cheap Blackspur saw that a neighbour was giving away,  so I cannot complain.

James.

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Just a quick update.

I made a pair of clamps to to hold plain-ended blades instead of the original holders for pin-ended blades. These worked well, but my choice of Olsen blades was less successful. These blades cut the metal for a 1/4″ or so and then merely tickled it.

I have now ordered some Pegas blades from Axminster Tools; fingers crossed. I shall update this post to let others know how they fare.

James.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Thanks, James …

Your Mission [should you choose to accept it] is to discover the ultimate blade.

MichaelG.

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https://youtu.be/pPTCOLbLWxM?feature=shared

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Death’s sythe in the Disc World novels might pass muster.

On the other hand…

[mark smith 20Participant @marksmith20]

When i had a delta scroll saw , i always used Vallorbe or Bergeon blades for metals ,though most were used on brass sheets to inlay into wood. I always used 6/0 or 8/0 size with 30 – 40 teeth.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

About 6 months ago I watched an interesting YouTube video on cutting with scrolling saws. Now I can’t find it or remember who made it.   So what follows comes from unreliable memory:

• Expensive blades outperform cheap ones, but still don’t last long!
• These blades are only intended to cut thin soft metal sheet.  Those cutting soft Brass less than 1mm thick last longer than the same blade put to mild-steel more than 1mm thick.
• The video was linked to a US firm selling a very expensive saw holder, and may have emphasised the difficulty caused by cheaper alternatives.  Anyway, their tool was much stiffer all round and able to fine adjust blade tension, both stated to be critical.  Certainly important, I believe, to get the blade tension right.   And I guess a floppy frame that doesn’t steer the blade adequately will also cause rapid wear.
• Main thing though was technique – these saws aren’t easy to use.  Practice required, lots of it.  Obviously necessary to place cuts where they need to be, but a less obvious skill is minimising wear and tear on the blades.   When I started home metalwork, I was amazed at how useless hacksaw blades were.  Reason turned out to be me. Hacksaws may be easier to drive than piercing saws, but there’s more to getting the best out of them than meets the eye.  My books advised ‘let the tool do the work’, meaning don’t force the pace.   What that means in practice varies with the metal and how thick it is, plus the angle of attack.  Also necessary to understand the number of teeth per inch needed on the blade.  Optimum cutting results from getting a mysterious balance of factors ‘just so’.  Operators can only get a feel for ‘let the tool do the work’, by practising.  It’s bad to take light cuts because they soon blunt the cutting edge without removing much metal.    Equally bad to take excessively heavy cuts because they overload the blade, blunting, bending and stripping teeth etc.  Whilst a few lucky fellows soon find the in between ‘sweet spot’ they must have natural talent.   Most of us have to practice, and during the learning phase we waste lots of blades.  Much easier to learn technique if a mentor is available because he quickly points out what learners are doing wrong.  Self-teaching takes much longer, and the pupil might never get it right.  Wish I had a mentor!

On the subject of technique and skills, forum members often blame disappointing results on the poor quality of metal and  tools.   Many seem to believe it’s necessary to own a tool-room lathe and jig borer, with a surface plate, tenths micrometer, and a store of the finest quality materials.  Not so!   Whilst having a well equipped workshop makes life easier, it really isn’t essential.  In the 19th century very few turners had good lathes – most work was done on inferior equipment supported by spring calipers, chalk marks and other simple aids.  Their output was well-made, but took far too long to make and was expensive.   Today, most hobby workshops still rely on 19th century methods rather than manufacturing practice, and it’s notable that skilled workers produce excellent work from both Far Eastern hobby and badly worn Western equipment.  Done by developing a feel for wonky tools, and being able to exploit what those tools do well whilst compensating for their shortcomings.  Ditto recognising and knowing what to do about difficult materials.  More about skills than equipment which is unfortunate because acquiring skills is always hard-work.

Provided the operator has skills the ‘quality’ of tools and materials is secondary.  I’m still working on my skills, and the painful process of acquiring them mostly explains the contents of my junk-box!

Dave

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

Thank you for the further suggestions: if the Pegas blades are not as useful as I hope, I shall have a look for Vallorbe and Bergeon blades.

I shall also have a god read of your post, Dave, which looks interesting at a glance.

Regards,

James.

[James AlfordParticipant @jamesalford67616]

A quick update for anyone vaguely interested: I ordered a packet of Pegas blades from Axminster Tools, along with a set of their blades clamps. These blades cut the 2mm steel nicely. All I need to do now is to learn how use the saw more delicately to avoid snapping so many blades.

James.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Good news, James

Thanks for letting us know.

MichaelG.

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

One of your problems could be the number of teeth in contact with the material at any one time, the recomendation is minimum 3 but says 5 is better so your blades need teeth about 0.6mm apart. Pretty fine!!

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Are you cutting on the downward stroke ?

Emgee

[bernard towers]

On bernard towers Said:

One of your problems could be the number of teeth in contact with the material at any one time, the recomendation is minimum 3 but says 5 is better so your blades need teeth about 0.6mm apart. Pretty fine!!

Quite possibly. I have ordered finer blades this time, so fingers crossed.

James

[Emgee]

On Emgee Said:

Are you cutting on the downward stroke ?

Emgee

To be honest, I have no idea. The blades are so fine that I cannot tell which way around the teeth are pointing.

James.

[James Alford]

On James Alford Said:

On Emgee Said:

Are you cutting on the downward stroke ?

Emgee

To be honest, I have no idea. The blades are so fine that I cannot tell which way around the teeth are pointing.

James.

GENTLY stroking the blade with a finger will soon tell you

MichaelG.

[Author]

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