Saber saw blades

[ponytug]

@stuckmotor You do go for the gusto! I'm a little more timid, and I wouldn't have tried asking 2x 2" from my version of that tool. In my experience, cutting wheels is going to need the blade pretty close to vertical to turn well, and a near vertical blade isn't going to be fast in thick material. YMMV.

I just use mine for small, fiddly cuts. It is probably my least used power tool, perhaps because I don't know how to use it well?

All the best,

Peter

 

[stuckmotor]

@stuckmotor You do go for the gusto! I'm a little more timid, and I wouldn't have tried asking 2x 2" from my version of that tool. In my experience, cutting wheels is going to need the blade pretty close to vertical to turn well, and a near vertical blade isn't going to be fast in thick material. YMMV.

I just use mine for small, fiddly cuts. It is probably my least used power tool, perhaps because I don't know how to use it well?

All the best,

Peter

This is a very inexpensive jig/saber saw and that might be the case with it. In the late 1960's I had a Skill saber saw (those were the days when Skill was SKILL) and tried several brands of blades until I found one that cut rings around the rest. All of the blades appeared sharp but the others just couldn't compete. There's bound to be another manufacturer that makes good cutting blades today.

BTW
When the saber saw couldn't cut the wheels, I bought an inexensive three wheeled bandsaw and was pleased with the result.

 

[stuckmotor]

I tried to use the jig/saber saw to make my cut today with the blade I already had. It cross cut well but wouldn't stay in the saw when I attempted to rip. I got out the same old bandsaw I bought years ago to cut the wheels and it worked great. If I ever need a saber saw again, I think I'll buy one with a better blade holder and possibly one that uses a Diablo t shank blade.
Thanks to everyone for your advice.
Stuck

 

[Eretansal]

I think those are the same blades used on my bosch jigsaw

That's what I was thinking as well.

 

[SandburRanch]

Not that i would use a Sabre saw to rip 20" since i have other choices like your old band saw , but being an avid DIY'er , i'd probably use my 7" X-slim taper file to change a 6 tooth sabre saw cross cut blade to a rip blade just to have one available if needed . It may need the set adjusted but that's easy too .

 

[strantor]

Jig saws are not that expensive. I would consider getting a new one that accepts t-shank blades. It will open up a lot more options. But I understand owning something older and of better quality than what's available now, and wanting to use it. Unfortunately I can't recommend a good blade for it because I almost never run across those older style blades, everything is t-shank now. If you're willing to get a t-shank saw, I would reinforce the recommendation for Diablo and add a recommendation for Bosch blades.

 

[ponytug]

Have you tried eBay or estate sales? I vacuum up packs of blades all the time from local estate sales.

All the best,

Peter

 

[oldnslo]

I have been happy with performance of Bosch brand blades.Don’t recall model number though.

 

[stuckmotor]

Have you tried eBay or estate sales? I vacuum up packs of blades all the time from local estate sales.

All the best,

Peter

The blades that I had success with in the late 60s and into the 80s were Trojan brand. (I bought as many as I could afford when the local hardware store put everything on sale and closed around 1969.) These look like the ones. New TROJAN SABER SAW BLADES, S-14, 3-1/2" Length, 14 teeth per inch, 2-Pack | eBay

Should I figure a way to make my saw hold onto a blade I might order a small package and see if they cut like I remember. My blades were probably manufactured in the 1960s and I'd have to know that the old stock on ebay was of equil quality before ordering enough to last the rest of my days. (They could be old stock made by a different manufacturer.) If, as someone said, straight shank blades have given way to t-shanks, I'd probably be wiser to buy a new saw that accepts the t shanks and hope I find some that cut as well as the old Trojans.
BTW
I had to sort through quite a bit of information on Trojan condoms before finding the blades in the link.