Blade manufacturers

[spirithorse]

Are the Sharktooth blades sold by Scolleronline or Winfield collection made by Olson?
That appears to be the case when I look at the Scrolleronline site and see them listed as
Sharktooth/Olson and they discontinued carrying Flying Dutchman blades.
These Sharktooth blades are advertised as the Highest Quality German Blades.

It just makes me wonder how these blades get branded, named, and advertised to scrollers.

What are we really getting and who makes them? (All blades in general).
It doesn't appear to me we can really know what we are getting even from companies that seem to
be highly regarded.

Any thoughts?
God Bless! Spirithorse

Edited March 29, 2018 by spirithorse
Additional info

[Rockytime]

We don't know how they are made either. I do know some blades are milled. There also other methods of manufacture.

[Bill WIlson]

I recall reading something a number of years ago.  I believe it was a post on another forum, by Mike Moorlach.  Olson blades are manufactured in Germany by a company called Haunstetter and FD blades are also made in Germany by a company called Niqua.  I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if they make blades that are sold under other brand names, as well.

 

For a primer on how scroll saw blades are made, check out this link, again from our old friend Mike Moorlach;

https://mikesworkshop.com/pages/how-scroll-saw-blades-are-made

[hotshot]

It's Smoke and Mirrors:  There are just a very very very few manufacturers that make Scrollsaw and Jewelers blades, and everything else you see out there is a re-brand:

http://www.haunstetter-saegenfabrik.de:  This German company makes Olsen and a few obscure specialty blades under their own brands.

Niqua:  The other German company makes brands:  Niqua (non-U.S.), Flying Dutchman, and most other blades marked "Made in Germany"

SCIES (Pegas/Grommet):  These guy are really making a mark now.  They lead in the Jewelers Blade market by a mile, and seem to be quickly becoming the Scroll Saw blade of choice (my opinion). This company is very willing to sell their stuff under house brands and various labels for many vendors, but if it is marked "Made in Switzerland, then these guys made it.

Kapoor Engineering Tools:  These blades made in India and represent the bottom of the bottom for blades.  They sell more blades in the Jewelers blade market, but also carry the cheap blade market on the scroll saw side.  There may be another company in India that is also selling this kind of crap, but I'm not sure.

No doubt, that companies rebranding blades from these manufactures just hide the source company.  I'm pretty sure you could put similar blades under the magnifier to identify the manufactures.

[hotshot]

31 minutes ago, Bill WIlson said:

I recall reading something a number of years ago.  I believe it was a post on another forum, by Mike Moorlach.  Olson blades are manufactured in Germany by a company called Haunstetter and FD blades are also made in Germany by a company called Niqua.  I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if they make blades that are sold under other brand names, as well.

 

For a primer on how scroll saw blades are made, check out this link, again from our old friend Mike Moorlach;

https://mikesworkshop.com/pages/how-scroll-saw-blades-are-made

Crap . . . . .  we cross posted, but you were faster . . . . I was beat to the punch again :-)

Edited March 29, 2018 by hotshot

[spirithorse]

Thanks for the info everybody.
I hope I eventually find a blade that I can really say is my preferred brand and stick with it.
Right now, it really seems like a crap shoot which really stinks when you want to do a lot of
variety from Intarsia to 1/8" fretwork.

God Bless! Spirithorse

[Terry Jay]

Consider the Pegas Modified Geometry blades.  The seem to me to cut straight, and to last a long time, and no burning when cutting out thickish bowl rings.  

[Rockytime]

I used Pegas MG today for the first time I cut this using Poplar and #5 Pegas MG blade. I was pleased how it cut.

[kmmcrafts]

I could be wrong as i did very little research. but someone posted about the " Saw Bird " blades the other day.. the web site says they are a German made blade.. I'm pretty sure they are no more than the normal FD blades.. 

Now. what about those high dollar super sharps.. cannot remember who sells them.. someone posted about those with high reviews a while back..   

[Rockytime]

20 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I could be wrong as i did very little research. but someone posted about the " Saw Bird " blades the other day.. the web site says they are a German made blade.. I'm pretty sure they are no more than the normal FD blades.. 

Now. what about those high dollar super sharps.. cannot remember who sells them.. someone posted about those with high reviews a while back..   

That would be PS Woods.

[spirithorse]

Thanks for the replies.

God Bless! Spirithorse