Lee Valley's Swedish Bandsaw Blades - your take...

[Brian Ashton]

Was wanting to know if they are as good as claimed.

[Dick Strauss]

Do they offer the same tooth count and profiles as those used by Timberwolf blades (that also use "Swedish steel" whatever that means)? If so, you might try searching for "Timberwolf" reviews here and elsewhere.

Be safe,
Dick

[Jamie Buxton]

Those are Timberwolf, with a new name. The text on the Lee Valley site says so.

[glenn bradley]

Since they are Timberwolf blades you will get mixed responses. Suffolk managed to alienate a lot of people when they had a run of bad welds years ago. I use them and others. They are reasonably priced for what they are, last as long as similar material blades and the customer support is good if ever required.

[Gus Dundon]

Hopefully there's an improvement with the welds.

[John Sanford]

(that also use "Swedish steel" whatever that means)? It means that the steel itself was made in Sweden. Iron and steel working have long been an industrial activity at which the Swedes have excelled. The copy writers are seeking to leverage that history, just as a bicycle manufacturer would highlight the use of Reynolds, Columbus or True Temper steel in their frames. After all, when does anybody ever trumpet that they're using "Chinese steel" in a product? Chinese silk, that would be worth claiming, but not steel.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Like the Timberwolf ones.

No band saw blade is as good as claimed. Unless they have carbide teeth,
they lead as the dull in usage and most seem to break before they are
done cutting usefully. Many carbon steel blades cut like a dream when
brand new but the performance degrades soon. Ripping blades
can be sharpened by inverting the blade on the saw and grinding
the gullets with a moto-tool. Resolve breakage issues and useful
blade life is extended considerably. Some wider blades don't break
as easily, like 3/4" and over, but they still get dull.

I solder up my own now from coil stock I buy opportunistically on ebay.
Though 1/2" x 3 tpi ripping coil is uncommon, wider ripping coil
can be found and 1/4" is common. Dollar cost is 80% less though
it requires a few minutes to cut, scarf grind, solder and finish the blades.

[Rick Potter]

I have used them for years. Only ones that broke are 1/8" or 3/16, and that took a while. They broke at welds and were replaced free.

Rick Potter