Unscientific comparison

[JimErn]

First let me apologize for the poor pics, I will administer 30 lashes with a wet noodle later.

I'm close to needing to order, my goto blade is the Pegas Modified Geometry #3 (PMG #3), in another thread some time ago someone mentioned the blades that Judy Gale Roberts (of intarsia fame) sells.  And sells much cheaper than the PMG variety.  So I ordered a dozen of the Gold.  She does sell Platinum too, higher price naturally.

not that it matters much to most of you, but the plastic zip lock package is thinner, not as sturdy IMO, as the package the PMG and FD blades come in.

Initially I thought I received a manufactures defect, it looked like there were no teeth!  But sure enough, sliding my thumb up and down found them.  I was surprised since with readers I have no problem seeing the teeth on a PMG blade, (oer the FDUR either).  see the pic

 

So I got some scrap pieces and went to freehanding some cuts.  Basswood because it is notorious for the fuzzies, and a scrap of walnut.

 

 

I'll be staying with the PMG #3, but as they say, YMMV

The JGR blades do cut straight just like the PMG blades do

food for thought anyway

[Dave Monk]

The PMG blades are hard to beat.  My go to blade is #5 except for inlays I use #3 so I can make a smaller entry hole. 

[OCtoolguy]

16 minutes ago, Dave Monk said:

The PMG blades are hard to beat.  My go to blade is #5 except for inlays I use #3 so I can make a smaller entry hole. 

Dave, when I took the marquetry class, we used a 2/0 and a number 68 drill bit if I recall. I'm going to order some Pegas #1 mgt blades for any inlay work that I might do that is not super thin. For the super thin, I'll stick to the 2/0. This is not meant to be anything more than info. 

 

[Bfreeman]

I have started using the MGT #1 as my go to blade it seems to stay sharp longer and cuts straighter for me than other blades .

[OCtoolguy]

3 hours ago, Bfreeman said:

I have started using the MGT #1 as my go to blade it seems to stay sharp longer and cuts straighter for me than other blades .

I pretty much use the #5 mgt for everything. I've tried using other blades but they just don't perform for me in the woods that I cut. So far mostly maple, walnut, poplar, mahogany, red oak.

 

[scrollingforsanity]

I use FD blades on some projects but my go to blade is the PMG #3. Everybody has there favorite.

grizz 

[heppnerguy]

I have also been using the #3 PMG and found the even with BB Ply I do not have fuzzies and it is easy to cut 'on the line' with them. I just ordered some #3 and #5 as I am planning some compound cuts and they should do that really well. I will find out pretty soon

Dick

heppnerguy

[Scrappile]

I only use the #3PMG when cutting 1/2" or thicker... and then not for detailed fret work.. Too aggressive for me.  Good blade no doubt, but aggressive.  I use their #3 Reverse Skip often though...  I really like it.  Not quite as aggressive, but cuts very clean.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Scrappile

[tgiro]

When I was taking one of Judy's classes I asked her about her blades. She did quite a bit of research before she settled on the blades she uses and sells. You have to remember that Judy was looking for good blades for intarsia projects, not fretwork.

To be fair - I don;t believe FD blades and Pegas blades were on the market when Judy started selling blades. I, also, like the FD and Pegas blades, but I have used Judy's blades and they work just fine.

[JimErn]

19 hours ago, tgiro said:

When I was taking one of Judy's classes I asked her about her blades. She did quite a bit of research before she settled on the blades she uses and sells. You have to remember that Judy was looking for good blades for intarsia projects, not fretwork.

To be fair - I don;t believe FD blades and Pegas blades were on the market when Judy started selling blades. I, also, like the FD and Pegas blades, but I have used Judy's blades and they work just fine.

That is a good point, not having tried intarsia yet could you explain the difference in cutting style with a blade?

[kmmcrafts]

Just my opinion here but a blade is going to cut the same way whether you cutting fretwork or intarsia .. NOW.. don't confuse that with the types of material you cut..  A think most people consider that fretwork is usually what I call portrait work cut from thin plywood.. many people stack cut this so in my opinion it's still like cutting hardwood other than the plywood glues dull blades two fold, LOL

Now.. she may have done the test years ago before many different styles of brands of blades where available.. and ( at that time ) her blades was the best for that... whole different ball game these days with different blades.. Most all blades back in the day were stamped and had that pesky bur on the one side which made them cut on an angle.. or a few degrees off to one side.. Not so much the case with these newer blades.. JMO..   

[JimErn]

Kevin, her blades cut straight just like the PMG do, that was not my issue with them at all.

I hate the fuzzies, and the JGR blades (in my limited test anyway) left more behind.  And surprisingly, there were fuzzies on the top side of the cut too.

Same machine, same speed.

I have no idea if they will last as long in cutting before getting dull, but based on the teeth and the much smaller kerf between them I would think so.

[OCtoolguy]

Back when I first started hanging out here, I recall that Iggy was swearing by the Olsen Mach blades. I don't recall why but all he cuts is poplar in his puzzles. Since then I think he has switched over totally to the Pegas blades. Correct me if I'm wrong. It's starting to look like most folks on SSV are suing either FD or Pegas blades. Sort of leaves the Olsen and PS out in the rain. 

 

[JimErn]

10 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Back when I first started hanging out here, I recall that Iggy was swearing by the Olsen Mach blades. I don't recall why but all he cuts is poplar in his puzzles. Since then I think he has switched over totally to the Pegas blades. Correct me if I'm wrong. It's starting to look like most folks on SSV are suing either FD or Pegas blades. Sort of leaves the Olsen and PS out in the rain. 

 

From my perspective I agree.  FD and Pegas seem to be what the majority uses

I started and tried all kinds of brands, then someone here mentioned FDUR, I tired them and that became my goto blade, then I tried the modified geometry, again someone here talked it up - 90% improvement for me.  But I do get curious when I see a new brand (well new to me) especially since they are so much cheaper - I can be a skinflint at times

[OCtoolguy]

7 hours ago, JimErn said:

From my perspective I agree.  FD and Pegas seem to be what the majority uses

I started and tried all kinds of brands, then someone here mentioned FDUR, I tired them and that became my goto blade, then I tried the modified geometry, again someone here talked it up - 90% improvement for me.  But I do get curious when I see a new brand (well new to me) especially since they are so much cheaper - I can be a skinflint at times

Anybody who is retired and on a fixed income automatically becomes a "skinflint" if they are at all intelligent. I still bend down and pick up pennies that have been cast aside by the millenials.

 

[kmmcrafts]

20 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

Anybody who is retired and on a fixed income automatically becomes a "skinflint" if they are at all intelligent. I still bend down and pick up pennies that have been cast aside by the millenials.

 

So you're the one that tries to pick up those pennies that I superglue to the floor at Walmart  

Nowhere can you get that kind of entertainment for a penny.. Just sayin..

Edited October 24, 2019 by kmmcrafts

[rjweb]

Well I have one better in my younger days, when down the shore on the boardwalk we would be under the boardwalk and put a dollar up through the space between the boards and when someone would bend down the pick it up we would pull in back under the boardwalk, RJ 

[amazingkevin]

Flying Dutchman blades is what I found the best only trying 4 0r 5 brands. But on all my dewalts, the scroll reverse blades only 2 reverse teeth touch the wood. That seems strange as there are 8 or more reverse teeth availiable???

[OCtoolguy]

20 minutes ago, amazingkevin said:

Flying Dutchman blades is what I found the best only trying 4 0r 5 brands. But on all my dewalts, the scroll reverse blades only 2 reverse teeth touch the wood. That seems strange as there are 8 or more reverse teeth availiable???

Kevin, try mounting the blades a bit higher in the top clamp. Or, maybe switch to the Pegas clamps. It seems like the blades sit a bit higher using them. I seem to be getting about 6-8 of the reversed teeth on my EX. But, my table is much thinner than the Dewalt.

 

[amazingkevin]

6 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Kevin, try mounting the blades a bit higher in the top clamp. Or, maybe switch to the Pegas clamps. It seems like the blades sit a bit higher using them. I seem to be getting about 6-8 of the reversed teeth on my EX. But, my table is much thinner than the Dewalt.

 

Thanks , I tried all I could but no luck

[Jim McDonald]

16 hours ago, octoolguy said:

Kevin, try mounting the blades a bit higher in the top clamp. Or, maybe switch to the Pegas clamps. It seems like the blades sit a bit higher using them. I seem to be getting about 6-8 of the reversed teeth on my EX. But, my table is much thinner than the Dewalt.

 

Are we talking standard reverse or ultra-reverse?

[kmmcrafts]

17 hours ago, amazingkevin said:

Flying Dutchman blades is what I found the best only trying 4 0r 5 brands. But on all my dewalts, the scroll reverse blades only 2 reverse teeth touch the wood. That seems strange as there are 8 or more reverse teeth availiable???

I would think that would be the way we want it... after all the reverse teeth are for the very bottom edge to remove the fuzziies anyway.. the more teeth that are actually cutting the wood on the down stroke is what I would think would work best.. That could be another reason the DeWalt is such an aggressive cutting saw.. I've actually never really paid attention to how much of the reverse teeth are being used.. as long as there is a clean cut on the bottom I never really gave it much thought.