Olson blade quality...

[WolfmoonCT]

I have used Olson blades for a long time.  I did take a hiatus when I was married.  When I got divorced, I started cutting again,and I had like 4 doz  blades left over.  They all cut great.  I new I needed more, and ordered 18 doz from Wooden Teddy Bear.  So far, I have gone through about 3 doz, and I am sooo disappointed in them now.  I would say 3 out of every 5 blades cut like a dull used blade.  Hard to push, cutting on an angle..  I had some blades I got back in like 2011 when I bought my old used Dewalt. Most of them were FD ones. I never used any, because I was comparing them to the Olson #2/0R blades.  I looked them up today, and most of them are like #5, #7 of various styles of FD.  I did find some FD SP ones.. it was marked 31TPI..   I thought I would give one a try for giggles.. HOLY CRAP it cut fast.. Scary fast compared to the Olson #2/0R.   I looked it up and found those are the Superior Puzzle blades.  SO I ordered 3 new FD blades to try out. I got one of each..  Penguin Silver Reverse #2/0, Scroll Reverse #2/0, and Ultra Reverse #2/0. 

I did send an email to Olson, asking if they had a bad batch or what, or if that was just their quality now.  I'll see what they say.  But I'll also see how these FD ones go. The worse part is that I'm trying to get a large sectional done before Dec 4th, and if I have to wait for blades, I may not make it for the craft show.  I do not want to use any more of the Olson ones, incase they come back saying they will replace the blades to keep my happy.

Edited November 19, 2021 by WolfmoonCT

[Angelo]

I had a similar experience with Olson blades.

I am not buying Olson anymore only FD or Pegas.

 

[rjweb]

Try pegas from artcrafters, Denny, fast service and good blades, RJ 

[WolfmoonCT]

Sad that Olson never got back with me..  But my FD blades arrived from Mikes today.  Now to see which ones I like best for my hardwood cutting..  the Penguin Silver Reverse, the Ultra Reverse, or the Scroll Reverse...

 

[WolfmoonCT]

I got my FD blades.. Honestly.. I tried the Penguin and the Ultra's..  I can't keep either on a line, and they leave a lot of fuzz on the back. I was soo hopeful they would cut as good as the Olson, but Olson seem to cut better.  Just wish they had better quality of sharpness..   Maybe after the holiday season and these 2 big projects are done, I can go back and see if it's just me needing to adjust my cutting to match how the FD cut..  But what I found was the FD don't turn sharp corners as good, and they always cut to the right a lot more than the Olson..

Edited November 27, 2021 by WolfmoonCT

[William Eicehelberger]

I had the same problem with Olson's blades I now use Pagis. They are ;like a lot of  company's cutting corners to make a profit.

ike

 

[Jim Finn]

I use Olsen Precision Ground blades to cut out 3/4" toys because they outlast any other blade I have tried.  I use Pegas and FD blades when doing my inlay though.

[CharleyL]

In my opinion, Olsen hasn't changed from how they made blades from 40-50 years ago, and I still don't like them, but that was all that I could find back then. Once I could buy other brands, I never went back. Most of their blades would not cut straight for me, so I had to learn how the blade was cutting and then apply that much angle to the work to get it to cut where I wanted. Since each blade varied in how it cut, I had to learn this each time that I used a new blade. When I found new blade sources, I never went back to Olsen. Their precision ground blades are a significant improvement and do cut much better than their older blades though.

Charley

[Jim Blume]

20 hours ago, Jim Finn said:

I use Olsen Precision Ground blades to cut out 3/4" toys because they outlast any other blade I have tried.  I use Pegas and FD blades when doing my inlay though.

I used those "PGT" blades for many years while we had our year round craft business. I still marvel how smooth a cut you get with a #9 PGT blade on 3/4" Pine or Aspen. Almost no sanding needed, and for that sort of work we did, cutting fretwork into small shelves and such, they lasted quite well.

[Rolf]

For many years starting in 2004 I used the Olson 2/0 R 28TPI blade for cutting all of my detailed ornaments. They cut slower and gave me better control for all of the details. I used to buy them from Sloans., since they have retired I decided to switch brands and with many years of scrolling under my belt went with a faster cutting blade. I now use the Pegas 2/0 R MGT with only 15 TPI for the same detailed work. The TPI on a blade is what really makes the difference more so than the blade number. 

This sleigh is one of my all time favorite ornaments , a BJ Holmes design. I stack cut them 6 up 1/16 BB (1.5mm).

Edited January 25, 2022 by Rolf

[Greatgrandpawrichard]

Every time I have ever tried Olson blades I have hated them! They were so darned dull that they hardly cut and they wouldn't cut straight. 
I found Eberle Scroll saw blades and I instantly fell in love with them. They were super scary sharp, they cut straight and they cut smooth. They never wandered and they lasted a very long time before they became dull or broken. Sadly, the last batch of Eberle blades were not worth a darned.
I am now using Pegas Blades and I am extremely happy with them. I have only been using them for a few weeks now, but I am more than satisfied with them. I do go through a lot of blades per year because my scroll saw sees a tremendous amount of use. Last year I went through approximately 13,824 blades to make all of the gifts that I gave away and also the projects that I sold to keep my shop supplied in wood and blades for my Band saw, Table saw, Cut off saw and of course my Hawk Scroll saw!

 

[NC Scroller]

On 1/27/2022 at 1:06 PM, Greatgrandpawrichard said:

Last year I went through approximately 13,824 blades to make all of the gifts that I gave away and also the projects that I sold to keep my shop supplied in wood and blades for my Band saw, Table saw, Cut off saw and of course my Hawk Scroll saw!

 

 When do you have time to sleep and eat.  I thought I was in the shop a lot and I probably go through 150-200 a year.

[Greatgrandpawrichard]

23 hours ago, NC Scroller said:

 When do you have time to sleep and eat.  I thought I was in the shop a lot and I probably go through 150-200 a year.

My wife tells all of her friends that she knows exactly where I am all day long. "He's in his woodshop sitting at the scroll saw creating some new project!" is what she tells them.
I am about to finish a large order for 250 3D Wooden Tulips for a  very good customer. Last year they ordered 150 of the Tulips and they sold them all out in the first 3 days of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. This year they upped their order expecting to have them last a few more days. ( I am guessing they won't so I am going to make up an extra 100 to keep here in my shop. )

 

[Greatgrandpawrichard]

Here's a quick and easy 3D Tulip Pattern for anyone that wants to use it.

 

Dick