After getting your new scroll saw set up, some of the first questions may be “What kind of scroll saw blades do I need?” or “Where can I get them?”

When you start looking for the answers to your questions, this subject can start to get very confusing. I hope this will make it less confusing and help to answer these and other questions that you may have about the different types of scroll saw blades.

When I first got my scroll saw several years ago, I just picked up a few packages of blades that were on the rack at the store. My saw also came with a few assorted blades in the box, so I used them. These blades worked okay for the first few days; however, the more research I did, the more I realized that I should get some better blades. So I ordered some good blades and while I waited for them to arrive, I continued to use the stock blades until I eventually broke them all. When the new blades arrived, it was surprising how much better they really were. They were so much better I never went back to the cheap blades.

In this article, I have included links to several of the websites that have been very helpful to me with this hobby. These are links that I have used to find the information that I am sharing with you.

Two Styles of Scroll Saw Blades

The first thing you need to determine is what kind of blade your scroll saw requires. There are two different styles of blades that are available: “Pin End” and “Plain End.” Some higher-end scroll saws do not accept pin end blades and some older scroll saws do not accept plain end blades. Some scroll saws can use both.

Pin End or Pinned

Pin end blades use a pin at each end of the blade to attach it to the blade holder. A limiting factor of using pin end blades is how small of an internal cut you can make because the hole may be smaller than the pins on the blade.

Most modern higher-end scroll saws do not accept pin end blade types. Also, some older or lower end scroll saws only accept pin end blade types.

If you have a scroll saw that only accepts pin end blade types and you want to do some of the work that requires a plain end blade, do not worry. The Olsen company has created the AC49610 conversion kit. This conversion kit allows most older 16-inch scroll saws to accept plain end blade types.

The AC49610 conversion kit is available at Amazon, Home Depot, and Walmart.

Plain End or Pinless

Plain end blades lack the pins that attach it to the blade holder. Because there is no pin, they must be held in place by clamping each end to the blade holder. This type of blade is much more popular than its pin end cousin and there are more blade configuration options available. Since there is no pin you can use it in very small internal cuts as long as the hole is slightly larger than the diameter of the blade itself.

Types of Scroll Saw Blades

There are several types of blades that perform different roles. Scroll saw blade manufacturers make their blades with different configurations and will call some of them by different names. They all will be some variance of the following types:

• Spiral – Spiral blades have teeth on all sides of the blade due to the blade actually being twisted. Because of this twist, they are sometimes difficult to attach to the blade holder. For this reason, some blade manufacturers design them with flat ends, making it easier to attach to the blade holder. Spiral blades are very useful for multi-directional scrolling since it will allow you to cut in any direction without turning the piece of stock. This is a great benefit for people who have smaller scroll saws if they want to cut a larger project. I find these types of blades hard to use. Many people prefer spiral blades over straight blades because of the maneuverability they provide. If you look at it closely, it resembles barbed-wire.
  * Spiral blades are only plain end or pinless type. During my research, I have found that pin end spiral blades may have existed at one time, however, they appear to be very rare and most scroll saw blade manufacturers do not make them. I was unsuccessful in finding them.
• Standard – The teeth all point downward. This is how scroll saw blades were originally configured going back to the 18th century.
• Skip Tooth – Skip tooth blades will have a gap between each tooth. This allows the sawdust to be extracted which will keep the blade running cooler and will help prevent burning.
• Double Skip Tooth – Similar to a skip tooth blade except it will have two teeth and then a gap between the next two teeth. This allows even more sawdust to be extracted allowing the blade to run cooler and prevent burning. This added benefit of a smooth cut with less burning does come with the cost of a slower cut.
• Reverse Tooth – The teeth on the top portion of a reverse tooth blade point downward, and the teeth on the bottom portion of the blade point upwards with a blank space in between. The reason for this is to prevent tear-out on the bottom of the project.
• Crown Tooth – Crown tooth blades have teeth pointing in both directions so it cuts on both the upward stroke and the downward stroke. This allows a smooth finish with less burning. Also when it starts to become dull, you can flip the blade over and use it just like a new blade.
• Manufacturer Specific – Ultra reverse is an example of a manufacturer-specific type of blade. It is similar to a reverse tooth blade, except it adds more teeth pointing in both upward and downward directions. For instance, it will have several teeth pointing down, then every third tooth, pointing up. It will repeat this pattern for the length of the blade. Another manufacturer-specific type is the Modified Geometry by Pegas and Mach Series blade by Olson.
• Puzzle – Puzzle blades are very thin blades and are specifically designed to make jigsaw puzzles. Puzzle blades can usually be found where regular blades are sold.
• Sanding – Olson calls them sanding files. Sanding files look like regular blades however, instead of teeth, they have sanding material on it designed for shaping and sanding.
• Other – Some manufacturers produce blades that are specifically made for metal, glass, and other materials.

What Size of Scroll Saw Blade Do I Need?

The blade size that you need will depend on the project that you are doing. For instance, if you require an internal cut for a fretwork pattern, you may need to go as small as #3/0; however, for a larger project or thicker materials, you may be able to use a blade as big as a #12.

Wood species and material thickness will be factors in determining the size and type of blade that you will need for a particular project.

The blade characteristics will be the width of the blade (kerf), TPI (teeth per inch), length of the blade, and the blade configuration such as skip tooth, reverse tooth, crown tooth, spiral, etc.

Taking all of these things into consideration, you may settle on just one or two blades that you become familiar with for most of your projects. I have become very used to a size #3 blade on probably 95% of the projects I do, including thicker hardwood.

The different types of blades come in a variety of sizes ranging from as small as #3/0 to as large as size #12. You can also get sizes that are outside of this range; although they are not very widely available.

Manufacturer’s Recommended Size of Scroll Saw Blades

There is a chart located on the Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts website that shows the recommended blade size and configuration based on the project, the material, and the thickness of the material. 

Click the link below to view the chart from scrollsawer.com.
http://scrollsawer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/07/Never-Fail-Blade-Poster.pdf

Blade manufacturers will have different sizes for the different blade configurations as well.

For instance, at the following link, there is a chart available on Olson’s website that details the different blades they produce. You will see on page 1, the “PGT” blade size ranges from size 5RG to 9RG, while on page 2 the “Double Tooth” blade ranges from size 3/0 to 12.

Click the link below to view the Olson Scroll Saw Blade Selection chart.
https://www.olsonsaw.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/2015-scrollchart.pdf

The chart in the link below is located at Bushton Manufacturing/Hawk Woodworking Tool’s website and includes three of the more popular brands of blades. They are Olson, Pegas, and Flying Dutchman. The chart lists the brand and the specifications of the blades such as TPI, pilot hole size, width, and thickness. Also listed in the chart will be the material and the pattern type that will be best suited for a particular blade.

Click the link below to view the Bushton Manufacturing Scroll Saw Blade Selection Chart.
http://www.bushtonmanufacturing.com/ScrollSaw/ScrollSawParts/SS_BLADE_CHART_2-22-2013.pdf

The manufacture of the Pegas brand of blades has several downloadable charts for comparison available on their websites.

Click the links below to view the Pegas Scroll Saw Blade Selection Charts.
https://www.scies.ch/woodworking-pegasreg.html
https://www.scies.ch/saw-blades-pinned.html
https://www.scies.ch/saw-blades-plain-end.html
http://www.grobetusa.com/pegas-brand-wood-metal-cutting-sawblades/

Hegner also offers a scrollsaw blade selection guide available on their website.
https://www.hegner.co.uk/downloads/misc/Scrollsaw_Blade_Selection_Guide.pdf

What Length of Scroll Saw Blade Do I Need?

Scroll saw blades are available in three, four, and five-inch lengths. Five-inch blades are the most popular with modern scroll saws.

Refer to the documentation for your scroll saw to verify which blade length may be required for your particular machine.

Brands of Scroll Saw Blades and Where Can I Get Them?

When I first began the scroll saw hobby, I only used blades from a handful of manufacturers. It was not until much later that I discovered there were many more brands of scroll saw blades available than I had originally thought.

In the link below I have listed all of the brands of scroll saw blades I could find. This list includes the website of the manufacturer if available and also where you can purchase that brand.

Scroll Saw Blade Manufacturers and Retailers

Some of the manufacturers make what they describe as fret saw blades as well. This is more common outside of the United States where scroll saws are sometimes known as fret saws. A fret saw can also refer to a hand-powered scroll saw that looks similar to a coping saw. The blades are usually interchangeable between the two tools.

Conclusion

Scroll saw blades come in either “pin end” or “plain end” style. Most modern scroll saws will accept plain end blades; however, to be certain, you will need to refer to the documentation that came with your scroll saw. Unless you have a specific need to use pin end blades, I would stick with plain end blades.

There is the AC49610 conversion kit if you require a plain end blade and your scroll saw only accepts pin end blade types.

There are a multitude of scroll saw blade manufacturers around the world. Scroll saw blades are available in a variety of configurations such as skip tooth, double tooth, and spiral just to name a few. There are even scroll saw blades for cutting metal and glass as well. Some manufacturers will have their unique designs and names for their tooth configurations.

The type and thickness of material that you will be cutting are a few of the factors when determining the size and type of blade you will need.

An important thing to consider is that everyone has their favorite blades to use. To find the right blade for your projects, you may want to experiment with some different types. This will help you determine which blades will be the best choice for you and your scroll saw.

I hope this has been helpful and you have enjoyed your visit. Let us know if you have any questions in the comments section below. Subscribe to our blog so you will be notified by email when a new article is posted.

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Thank You and Keep on Scrolling

Scroll Saw Blades FAQ