If you have any experience doing scroll saw designs, then you understand the essence of having the right blade. The right blade can help you achieve the perfect design. Conversely, using dull blades can leave you with an unattractive scroll art pattern. Worse even, they can cause a quality scroll saw to wear out prematurely.
So what are the best scroll saw blades? We recommend our favorite six scroll saw blades that are highly rated and go through everything you need to know before you buy. Read on to learn more.
Reviews of Top-Ranking Scroll Blades
Planning to buy replacement blades for your scroll saw? Here are a few recommendations:
1. SKIL 80182 Plain End Scroll Saw Blade Set: Best Overall
Have you been searching for the best scroll saw blade on the market? If you have, you should check out the Skil 80182 Plain End Scroll Saw Blade Set.
The key highlight of this set is the fact that it includes a variety of blades at a very affordable price. For less than $20, you’ll get three different types of scroll saw blades as follows:
- a dozen scroll saw blades with 28 teeth per inch
- a dozen scroll saw blades with 11.5 teeth per inch
- a dozen scroll saw blades with 9.5 teeth per inch
With such a selection, you’ll have a plain-end scroll saw blade for every project.
Better yet, the Plain End scroll saw blade set can be used on different materials, including plastic, non-ferrous metals, and plastic.
The fact that each scroll saw blade is made of high-quality steel is another attractive feature. This material improves the blades’ endurance while also ensuring that they provide a sharper cutting edge.
We also like that Skil provides precision-sharpened blades. This improves their cutting efficiency and allows them to be used for cutting fine, intricate shapes.
Pros
Cons
2. BOSCH SS5-15PL Plain End Scroll Blade: Best Budget
Are you searching for a scroll saw blade that won’t put a dent in your pocket? If you are, the Bosch SS5-15PL Plain End Blades set fits the bill. With a very low price tag, it’s one of the most affordable scroll saw blades on the market.
Despite its affordability, the manufacturer hasn’t compromised on the durability of this saw set. In fact, each blade is constructed using alloy steel, providing maximum durability. Since the Bosch SS5 blade set is fairly-priced, it means that even a beginner can afford it.
You’ll also be pleased to learn that the scroll saw blades- which contain 15 teeth per inch- are precision-sharpened. This allows you to cut intricate shapes with ease.
Important to note though is that the blades are designed solely for cutting plastic. So if you’re looking to tackle other materials like wood or metal, you’ll have to look for other blades.
Pros
Cons
3. OLSON SAW PG49802 Precision Ground Scroll Saw Blade: Best for Hardwoods
Are you looking for the best scroll saw blade for wood? If you are, the Olson Saw PG49802 Precision Ground Scroll Saw Blade Set is just what you need.
Included in the package are 18 scroll saw blades, each of which contains precision ground teeth. But what truly sets it apart is its exceptional tooth geometry and TPI.
There are only 6 teeth per inch, allowing the blades to cut quickly and precisely. In fact, Olson claims that this is the most accurate scroll saw blade to ever be invented.
As for geometry, there’s a wide space between the teeth (about a single tooth width gap) enhancing airflow. As a result, you don’t have to worry about the saw blades starting to burn because they’re cutting tough materials like hardwood.
Yet another feature that makes this blade Olson set ideal for hardwoods is its build. Each scroll saw blade is constructed using high-quality carbon steel, resulting in maximum durability and strength.
That said, these blades are plain ends. This means they can only be installed in scroll saws that work with these kinds of blades.
Pros
Cons
4. Flying Dutchman New Spiral Scroll Saw Blade Pack: Best Multi-Functional
As you probably know by now, there’s a ridiculous number of scroll saw blade types that exist. But if you had to buy a set of each type, you’d end up spending a ton of money and time.
Flying Dutchman understands this, which is why they’ve provided the Five Dozen Scroll Blade Variety Pack. It contains a whopping 60 spiral scroll blades, enabling you to tackle any project that comes your way.
To be more specific, you’ll find a dozen scroll blades of each type: #2/0, #3/0, #1, #3, and #5. All the blades are pinless, and they’re constructed using hardened steel.
It’s also crucial to note that the Flying Dutchman Blade Variety Pack contains milled blades. This factor enables these spiral scroll saw blades to provide razor-sharp cutting edges.
What this means is that the metal used in their production is first milled and then hardened with heat to give it strength. This explains why it's also regarded as the best scroll saw blade for metal.
Lastly, the Flying Dutchman Blade Variety Pack has a spiral tooth design. So if you have projects that require performing Omni-directional cuts, these spiral blades will work perfectly.
Pros
Cons
5. BOSCH SS5-20 Pin End Scroll Saw Blade: Best for Straight cuts
Have you been searching for the right scroll saw blades for making straight cuts? If you have, you should check out the Bosch SS5-20 Pin End Blade Set.
Not only are these blades made of high-grade steel but they're also precision-sharpened. This means they can be used for cutting intricate shapes- a task that they do very efficiently. Better yet, they're designed to handle an array of materials including plastics, non-ferrous metals, hard and soft wood.
The pack included contains only pin end blades, which are ultra-thick and have 20 teeth per inch. Both of these traits make the blades ideal for straight cuts as well.
Pros
Cons
6. Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse Scroll Saw Blade Pack: Best for Plywood
Are you looking for a scroll saw blade that can be used to cut plywood? If so, the Flying Dutchman Ultra Reverse Pack is a great buy.
The primary reason why we recommend the Flying Dutchman set for delicate materials like plywood entails the reverse skip tooth design. With this configuration, every third tooth is reversed, helping to avoid splintering.
The Flying Dutchman blades also strike a nice balance between speed and smoothness of cuts. Though the blades cut aggressively fast, they also produce relatively really smooth edges.
Pros
Cons
Things to Look For When Buying Scroll Saw Blades
Here are a couple of things you should keep in mind when choosing scroll saw blades:
Intended Use
The first question you should ask yourself is, “what will I be using the scroll blade for?” Think about the complexity of your projects and the type of cuts you’ll be performing most frequently.
As an example, intricate designs call for a blade with smaller teeth. Similarly, making cuts in tight corners would require investing in the best scroll saw blades for tight turns. But if you’re looking to make general, straight cuts, then a blade with larger and more spaced-out teeth is a better fit.
Pinned vs Pinless
Once you figure out what you’ll be using the scroll saw for, decide between pinless and pinned blades.
Pinned
A pinned or pin-end scroll saw blade is characterized by a cross pin fitted on each end. It also contains a holding hook, which helps you install it on the scroll saw. So if you want to detach the pin end scroll blade from the saw, all you have to do is unhook it to release the tension.
Older scroll saw models mostly used pinned blades, which is not surprising considering how easy it is to swap them out. That said, a pin-end scroll saw blade isn’t the easiest to use. In most projects, you’ll likely have to thread the blade through the workpiece before you can make interior cuts.
Also, keep in mind that the size of the workpiece matters. The minimum size that you can get a pin end scroll saw blade through is 1/16 inches.
Pinless
A pinless - also known as a plain-end - scroll saw blade differs in the way it’s installed.
With pinless blades, the installation entails attaching them to the allocated slots both below and above the scroll saw.
Pinless blades work perfectly for projects that require accurate cuts, in which case you’d want to begin with the smallest hole.
However, installing them takes a little bit of time. Some manufacturers equip their pinless blades with quick clamp systems to simplify this installation process.
Teeth
There are a few aspects you should pay attention to when it comes to the blades’ teeth.
Configuration
Based on the configuration, scroll saw blades are further classified as follows:
Standard tooth
Unsurprisingly, blades with standard teeth are the most popular. They’re characterized by uniformity in the size and shape of their teeth. You’ll also notice that these blades’ teeth are positioned evenly; one after another.
But what truly makes a standard blade stand out is the fact that it cuts efficiently while concurrently getting rid of sawdust and debris. Such tools have a minimalist and forgiving design that makes them suitable for beginners.
And, they’re available in either a high or low tooth count. Specifically, the standard tooth design is common in either low TPI wood blades or high TPI metal blades.
Their only drawback is that they produce more noise than other scroll blade types.
Skip tooth
If you’re not keen, you may confuse the skip tooth blades for the standard blades. This is because they have a striking resemblance. Like the standard blades, they also contain teeth of identical shape and size.
However, skip tooth blades have every other tooth missing. Simply put; the blade skips alternate teeth, resulting in half the number of teeth you’ll find on standard blades.
In lieu of a tooth, there’s space between the teeth. This provides more room to clear sawdust. The space between skip tooth blades also serves to increase airflow; hence, preventing heat buildup during the cutting process.
While they’re pretty efficient, the skip tooth blade designs lack the precision you get from other types of scroll saw blades.
Double tooth
The double tooth blades look fairly similar to the skip tooth blades. What makes them exceptional is that the gullet is large enough to hold two teeth. So rather than skipping just one tooth, the space in between is a lot bigger than that.
The advantage of a bigger gullet is that it allows the blade to cut more smoothly. In fact, these blades are often recommended for projects that require smooth edges.
That said, double-tooth blades aren’t the best choice for beginners. They have a tendency to wander off course, especially if you’re not using the right speed or pressure for the job.
Reverse skip tooth
As implied in the title, this blade is quite similar to a regular skip tooth blade. The difference with reverse skip tooth blades is that the last couple of teeth at the bottom point upwards.
The reason for designing the blade in this manner is to help minimize cracking and splintering. This, in turn, results in ultra-smooth surfaces on both the top and bottom of the workpiece. As a result, reverse skip tooth blades are often used to cut plywood, MDF, and other similar materials.
Unfortunately, they have their fair share of setbacks. For one, the reverse tooth design makes it difficult for the blade to clear out sawdust as efficiently as other blades. Furthermore, these saw blades tend to dull faster than other types.
Spiral tooth
An ordinary scroll saw blade is designed to cut in one direction. But spiral blades have a pretty unconventional structure.
They comprise a set of tightly twisted blades, whose teeth are set to face 360° all around the axis.
Spiral blades are designed to make cuts on the up and down stroke. If you’re looking to perform rounded cuts, this spiral tooth pattern works perfectly.
However, the fact that they have teeth all the way around increases the risk of injury. If you’re not careful with spiral tooth scroll blades, it's very easy to injure yourself.
Precision ground
We’ll start off by clarifying that a precision ground tooth scroll blade (PGT) is entirely different from a precision sharpened blade.
A PGT scroll saw blade has a skip tooth pattern. However, the teeth, in this case, are much smaller and they’re ground to shape instead of simply being filed. The advantage of this is that they provide very sharp cuts. Also, these blades tend to cut in a straighter line and result in very smooth edges.
Crown tooth
The last configuration you’re likely to encounter in a scroll saw blade is the crown tooth.
Crown tooth blades comprise paired teeth that assume the shape of a crown; hence, the name. Between each crown, you’ll find a small gullet that helps with sawdust clearance.
The best part about crown tooth blades is that they can be installed either way. This is because these saw blades don't have a down or up position. As such, you don’t have to worry about the teeth having to face a particular direction.
This also means that once your crown tooth blade dulls, you can interchange them and use the sharper side.
TPI Rating
Like any other saw blade, scroll saw blades are described based on the number of teeth per inch.
A higher TPI implies that there are more teeth per inch on the blade’s length. This higher TPI rating works particularly well if you’re looking to make ultra-smooth cuts. However, such a scroll saw blade cuts at a much slower rate.
On the other end of the spectrum, you'll find scroll saw blades with fewer teeth. Often, this tooth count is common in thicker blades, resulting in better durability. Furthermore, these blades cut faster.
The downside to blades with fewer teeth is that they produce a rougher finish.
Generally, though, scroll saw blades don’t go beyond 10 TPI. So if you prefer blades with many teeth per inch, consider getting a bimetal blade instead.
Blade Material
Most, if not all, scroll saw blades are made of either hardened steel or a milder form of it that’s tempered with heat. The steel used has an impact not just on the thickness of the blade but also on the materials that can be cut with the blade.
So if you’re looking to tackle thick workpieces, consider thicker blades made of tougher and hardy material like hardened steel. On the other hand, if you’ll only be cutting soft wood, then a thinner mild steel-made blade works.
Blade Size
The length of a scroll saw blade doesn’t matter too much. That’s because most of them don’t go past 5 inches in length.
The factor that you should pay attention to is the blade’s thickness. A thicker blade is not only stronger but also more durable. But, it’s not suitable for very intricate cutting jobs. Conversely, thinner blades are a superb choice for projects that involve highly-detailed precision work.
Question is, how do you differentiate a thick from a thin scroll saw blade? Well, the easiest way is to look for the universal number code. A higher number means it's a thicker blade whereas a lower number means you're dealing with a thinner blade.
Compatibility
Earlier we mentioned the two types of scroll saw blades: pinned vs pinless. One other point you should keep in mind is that these blades aren’t interchangeable.
If you're using scroll saws designed for pinless blades, then don't try to install pinned blades. They won't fit or work properly. The reverse of this is also true.
FAQs
What are the right scroll saw blades to use?
The best scroll saw blade is one that is suited for the task you have at hand. If you’re looking to do very intricate designs, then you should get a blade designed specifically for that.
Are Olson scroll saw blades any good?
Yes, they are. One thing we like about this brand is that it caters to the needs of all woodworkers. Whether you want a precision ground, skip tooth, or standard tooth blade, Olson has got you covered.
How do I choose a scroll saw blade?
There are several things you should consider when buying blades for your scroll saws. Ideally, you should start by determining the intended application.
Next, decide between pinless and pinned blades. You can then narrow down your options based on the tooth configuration, TPI rating, blade thickness, and compatibility.
What do the numbers on scroll saw blades mean?
When shopping, you may have come across numbers on the descriptions of some scroll saw blades. This is because some manufacturers use a universal number code system to describe the blades’ thickness.
The numbers start from 0 to 12. The higher the number, the thicker and wider the blade. Such blades are great for tackling very thick wood. They’re also more durable.
On the other hand, blades with lower numbers are thinner and narrower. These are the most suitable blades for cutting tight corners. However, you’ll need to be careful as they tend to break easily.
How to install scroll saw blades
Here’s a detailed guide on how to install a blade on your scroll saw:
How to install pin end scroll saw blades
Installing a pin-end scroll saw unit is not that different from the process described above. But there are a few tips that can make this process easier, namely:
Are scroll saw blades universal?
No, they are not. It’s true that you can fit a given blade in a scroll saw of a different brand. However, you should ensure that the blade is compatible with the saw. Pin-end and pin-less blades cannot be used interchangeably.
How to install spiral scroll saw blades
As with other types of scroll saw blades, the first step is to remove the screw holding the old blade in position. This makes it easy to remove the blade by pulling it from the rear section.
Next, install the new spiral scroll saw blade in such a way that the teeth point upwards. If done correctly, the tiny notch in the blade should line up perfectly with the notch in the scroll saw.
Finally, give the blade a push so that it goes all the way in. The last step is to add a new screw on the front that will hold the new blade in position.
How tight should a scroll saw blade be?
Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward answer to this question. Each blade has a sweet spot where it’s tightened to the right extent.
If you aren’t sure whether the blade is tightened correctly, try moving it with your fingers. If it’s wobbling a lot even after you’ve tightened it, this is a sign that you need to tighten it some more. However, if it’s able to resist any movement you subject it to, this shows that it’s tensioned properly.
Conclusion
Before you start shopping for a scroll saw blade, there are a few points that you should keep in mind. For starters, decide whether you want a pin end or a pinless blade. Check your current scroll saw and figure out the type of blade that it’s compatible with.
Next, think about how you’ll be using the scroll saw blade. This will enable you to know the most suitable blade based on tooth configuration, blade thickness, and material.
If you’ve been searching for the best scroll saw blades, the Skil 80182 Plain End Blade Set is an excellent choice. It contains 3 sets, each with 12 blades. This enables you to use the pack for a wide variety of jobs.
Better yet, the blades are made of high-quality steel, providing optimal strength and durability. They have been taken through a detailed sharpening process- a factor that makes them fit for creating intricate designs. Lastly, the 36-piece set is very fairly-priced.