Blades for Knew concepts "Fret" saw

[Mike Holbrook]

I just ordered a Knew concepts "Fret" saw. The Titanium frame with 45 degree index-able swivel blade clamp. I read a review or two and found sketchy mention of blades for this saw. I assume the saw comes with a blade but I am not sure what work that blade may be designed for and whether or not other types of blades might increase it's utility?

I saw mention of an Olson Skip Tooth, 12.5 TPI, but have no idea if this or some other blade might prove useful. I bought the saw with the idea of using it to cut dovetails & finger joints.

I know others have this saw and I would like to hear how owners have found it helpful.

[David Weaver]

skip tooth blades are good for fast cutting. That should be coarse enough to go fast, but you can get variety packs to try out different tooth counts and see what you like. If you're just cutting out waste and then chiseling to the line, there's no reason to do neat work.

[Jim Koepke]

Lee Valley has combo packs for fret saws.

The last couple of times ordering from them I have ordered one of them and maybe a few other blades.

It is an inexpensive way to get a lot of different blades to see what you like.

The spiral blades are good, but cut a bit of a wide kerf.

jtk

[Chris True]

I've had mine for a couple weeks now, used it last weekend removing the waste for some dovetails in 7/8" red oak. The saw did very well with whatever blade they ship installed. Mine is the aluminum version.

[Andrew Gibson]

I just recieved my Knew Consepts AL saw yesterday. I also ordered some extra saw blades from Craftsman Studio.
I think they are #10 12tpi. they are recomended at the top of this page as good for dovetailing. http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/L!830.htm
I have not tried them yet but seem very close to what came in the saw.

[Doug Shepard]

My Knew Concepts saw is in the mail as of yesterday and I've been having the same blade questions today. I think I've got some 12 & 16 TPI blades already that should suffice for wood. But one of the things I'm planning on cutting is some 1/16" copper sandwiched to some 1/16" ebony then inlaying the copper into the ebony after it's glued onto a MDF or BB ply box top. What's a good TPI and blade type for cutting the copper/ebony sandwich for the inlay?

[Mike Holbrook]

Interesting Doug,
Both of us Dougs got ours mailed on the same day, what were the chances of that? My real name is Douglas too. Maybe I will order a combo pack from Lee Valley.

[Russell Sansom]

I broke the original blade first thing. It can happen. A variety is necessary. The only way to know what's going to work until you try it.

[Adam Cormier]

I've been seeing more posts on this saw recently. What is so special about them? Is it because they can tension the blade so well that you won't be fighting with the blade bending unintentionally while cutting out the waste in dovetails? I always find it is a pain with my coping saw, once I move the blade into the cut I made with my dovetail saw and then try to bend it to cut out the remaining waste of my dovetails. If so, I may be interested.

[Mike Holbrook]

Adam, yes I understand the frames hold the blades steady and tight as compared to just about anything else. Since these saws were originally designed for jewelers the size blades we need for dovetails apparently seem large to them. The small tight blades can make turns that a coping saw want, allowing dovetail waste to be removed with one continuous cut.. The blade holding mechanism is suppose to be excellent, allowing 45 degree blade angles. There is also a quick clamping & releasing mechanism that makes it very easy to adjust & change blades.

I believe if you search these pages for a review Derek did on these saws most of your questions will be answered.

[Russell Sansom]

Cam-action quick tensioner is what sets it apart. Plus the frame is much stiffer so blade doesn't flex. Plus it's set up for very small blades which can fit easily into a modern dovetail saw kerf.
Mine has the 45-degree detents. It's considerably easier to flip it to one side or the other so the back of the saw clears the board edge when sawing out waste. I don't think there's anything else quite like it on the market right now.

[Andrew Gibson]

I was pleased with my little traditional style fret saw, however with the little bit of use my new knew concepts saw has seen, I am very happy with it. it is lighter, stiffer, easier to set, and seems to be easier to be accurate with. It should be easier to work with when doing inlay work as well.

[Derek Cohen]

My current users are Eclipse 18 tpi.

Lee is now recommending Pegas SK7. They are Swiss.

I ordered some from Otto Frei: http://www.ottofrei.com/store/home.php?cat=3783

I will review them once I've given them a run.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Bill McDermott]

It's a professional quality jeweler's tool that went on an evolutionary tangent into woodworking. Works much better than the old and new coping and fret saws I've had. Far more rigid. Far less blade deflection. Ultimately, I don't break the blades -- even though these are much, much finer. Really thin kerfs and 90 degree turns.

Expensive - but the maker is creative, talented, sincere and deserves compensation. No middle man between the tool user and the maker. Still, I had to clean up the rough casting a bit a do some work on the handle.

The maker, Lee, shared his source for blades - Otto Frie, the stock blade is the Antelope 3/0. Interesting supply of similar, but different tools than our hobby.

Very pleased.

Bill185088

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Bill

I do want to emphasise that the blade recommendation I made above is the current one from Lee. I am in frequent contact with Lee, having been partly responsible for the development of this fretsaw (I have no financial stake whatsoever). I am writing this just to avoid any confusion about blades. Of course, many blades may be used, so I do not wish to make it appear that the choice is limited.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Peterson]

I jumped on the bandwagon and received the Knew Concepts saw a few weeks ago. I opted for the titanium version (as a long time motorcyclist, the lure of titanium is as strong as that of carbon fiber - have to have it). It's a very trick piece of design and cuts beautifully; rigid as can be cutting through dovetail waste and the cam lever makes reorienting the blade a snap. You did nice work refinishing the handle, Bill, which came a bit rough out of the box. But that is small beans compared to the success of this design and its cutting ability. The blade suggestions here are really useful and I've already ordered an arsenal.

[Mike Holbrook]

Yes, thanks for all the great info. and to Derek for jumping in & giving us the info. first hand. I just got my new saw yesterday and will be ordering some blades from Otto Frei today.

I sprang for the Titanium model too. I believe it has some unique features. Now back to figuring out how to use this very cool little saw....

Derek's link to Pegas Woodworkers Skip Tooth Sawblades Size 7, lists this blade as 5 1/4 inches. The instructions with my saw say the blade needs to be 5 1/8 inches. The blade in my saw measures 5 5/16. The saw instructions say if the blade is too long to cut it down to size. It looks to me like there is an 1/8 - 1/4 inch of extra room with the blade mine came with. Has anyone tried cutting a blade shorter?

The blade Bill mentions Otto Frei Antelope 3/0 is : .25mm thick by .48mm wide by 130mm long, 56 tpi.
The blade Derek mentions from Otto Frei: Pegas Woodworkers Skip Tooth Sawblades Size 7. I do not find amy mention of teeth peer inch in the Pegas description. The blade on the saw I got seems to have 12-13 tpi. I can't see the little buggers well enough to get an exact count.