# Reverse Tooth v Ultra Reverse Tooth



## bodgerbaz (18 Mar 2014)

Subject says it all really. I always tend to use the standard reverse tooth blades to help eliminate tear-out and mainly for a cleaner cut but I hear peeps talking about ultra reverse tooth blades and wondered what the advantages were.

I've found a picture on the internet and they look a lot like crown tooth blades which I've used and seem very sharp.

So, can you enlighten me as to whether the ultra reverse tooth is better than the standard reverse tooth and what the benefits might be . . . before I send some more bucks to Mike.

Many thanks

Barry


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## scrimper (18 Mar 2014)

Up until late last year I have always used the standard reverse tooth blades from either Hobbies or Hegner and always found them perfectly good, after reading about the ultra reverse blades here I decided to try some.

If I am honest I have not noticed any difference between the standard reverse or the ultra reverse as far as cutting or quality of finish is concerned, however I do seem to have more breakages with the ultra blades than the standard ones, my tests are in no way scientific so this may just be a fluke or coincidence. But normally I rarely have a blade break (they wear out) but I did find a lot of breakages with the Ultra ones. (I did mention this in one of my earlier threads).

One advantage to me of buying from Mikes workshop was that he stocked blades in a wider range of sizes, Hobbies only stocked reverse blades down to size 5 whereas Mikes blades go down to size 00, these are very delicate and break very easily but are useful for ultra detail work. 

So IMHO the ultra reverse are not really any distinct advantage over standard reverse blades but that is just my limited opinion and others will probably have a different view. 

I have found the Niqua standard reverse blades from Hobbies to be perfect for what I want but they only sell sizes 5, 7 and 9, (Hegner do a larger size range) Personally I find the No 3 a useful size.


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## scrimper (18 Mar 2014)

Just noticed that Hegner do now stock a No 00 (2/0) reverse tooth blade, they did not list them last time I ordered. 
As I mentioned before the 00 blades are very delicate and only suitable for very detailed work they also break very easily!

Mikes workshop list reverse blades in sizes 00, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12, (I find the No 1's very useful for detailed work)


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## martinka (18 Mar 2014)

In my case, because I use an auxilliary table, standard reverse blades are not really any good as only one reverse tooth reaches the job. What I did notice, before I fitted the auxilliary table, is that the standard blades tended to cause more 'bounce'. Whether that would still be the same with the benefit of more experience, I don't know.


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## bodgerbaz (18 Mar 2014)

Very useful feedback, thank you very much that was very informative. 

I've tended to use Olson blades because they are very sharp, have angled-cut ends to help feeding the blade and I've only had to usually change them when they got blunt. However, Olson blades are expensive in the UK and shipping from the USA has ridiculous shipping rates so I bought a load of Mike's Flying Dutchman blades.

Well I must be doing something wrong coz they don't half snap easily in comparison. I cut out a fairly straight forward design recently and went through 4 or 5 blades in about an hour. They're still sharp but now a tad short for my saw !! :shock:


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## bodgerbaz (18 Mar 2014)

martinka":35bz44nb said:


> In my case, because I use an auxilliary table


 
What was the reasoning behind the auxiliary table Martin? Was it just to get a much smaller hole around the blade or to increase the size of the table?


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## Chippygeoff (18 Mar 2014)

I used Niqua reverse blades for years and never really had a problem with them, except one, they were slow. I mainly cut 3/4inch hardwoods. I switched to Mikes ultra reverse blades about 3 years ago and the main difference for me was that they cut a lot quicker, the lovely smooth finish on the sides was about the same as was the amount of fuzzies on the underside. The only disadvantage I found with the ultras, that has already been mentioned is that they break easy. I suppose I am fortunate thet they tend to break just above the bottom clamp so I reuse the blade, just a matter of slackening off the tenion a bit.


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## martinka (18 Mar 2014)

bodgerbaz":2rd8kxye said:


> martinka":2rd8kxye said:
> 
> 
> > In my case, because I use an auxilliary table
> ...



I wanted the bigger table, and it just didn't feel right to have the left side of the table narrower than the right side. Mine is 4.5" wider than the original table. Rather than have a small hole for the blade, I cut a slot in it same width as the original, which wasn't too wide at about 3mm, which makes it easy to change blades and also possible to remove the auxiliary table without removing the blade.
I did plan to make another table with just a hole rather than a slot, but it's on the pile with all the other plans.


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## bodgerbaz (18 Mar 2014)

Many thanks for your point of view Geoff.

Thanks for that Martin. Having a wider table presumably gives you more stability with wider pieces too.


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## gilljc (19 Mar 2014)

for any of you interested, you can buy olson blades from 'the wooden teddybear' in America at a fraction of the cost. the last time I bought a few packs from Hobbies they charged me £6.95 for postage as they work on an order cost scale. I was able to buy a gross of mixed sizes from America at roughly half the price it would be here and approx. $4 for postage.
The link is on mikesblogspot


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## scrimper (19 Mar 2014)

gilljc":2rzardyj said:


> for any of you interested, you can buy olson blades from 'the wooden teddybear' in America at a fraction of the cost. the last time I bought a few packs from Hobbies they charged me £6.95 for postage as they work on an order cost scale. I was able to buy a gross of mixed sizes from America at roughly half the price it would be here and approx. $4 for postage.
> The link is on mikesblogspot



I don't understand why you paid Hobbies £6.95 for delivery for Fretsaw blades unless you specified Express delivery or had something else on your order, their normal delivery charge for fretsaw blades is £1.95.


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## martinka (19 Mar 2014)

Interesting. I tried Hobbies and Wooden Teddybear for 1 gross of Olson blades. Hobbies want £42.96 and as Scrimper says, £1.95 for post. Wooden teddybear want £16.95 for the same blades, but estimate the postage at $12 / £7.21 That's a heck of a difference even including postage.


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## bodgerbaz (19 Mar 2014)

Gill, you are now on my Christmas Card list - you star. Many, many thanks for the head's up.

Barry


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## loftyhermes (19 Mar 2014)

I find that I get more fuzzies with the ultra blades than with the scroll reverse blades.
Woodworkscraftsupplies want £50.25 for a gross of Olson PGT's plus £6.95 postage. 
http://www.woodworkscraftsupplies.co.uk ... cts_id=440
happy scrolling
Steve


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## gilljc (19 Mar 2014)

Oh gosh! just realised I have been miscalling Hobbies, was buying blades from woodworkcraftsupplies, get wood from hobbies  
think wooden teddybear did quote higher for postage as an estimate as they always send a catalogue with a first order, but when they sent the order they only charged me $4. It took almost exactly a week, just before christmas
Anyway, will be ordering some more olson blades fairly soon, so if anyone wants me to order for them at same time, let me know


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## scrimper (19 Mar 2014)

Personally I don't rate the Olson blades, when I bought my Hegner Roger Buse who owned the UK Hegner distributor at the time sent me some free sample Olson blades, I tried them but never found them any better than the cheaper Niqua blades, the Olson blades as supplied were very shiny but after a while I found they went rusty.
I still have a few in the cupboard but have not tried using one for ages.

It could be that I was just unlucky and had a bad batch or something but I haven't tried them since.


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## martinka (19 Mar 2014)

loftyhermes":31kn4ikb said:


> I find that I get more fuzzies with the ultra blades than with the scroll reverse blades.
> Woodworkscraftsupplies want £50.25 for a gross of Olson PGT's plus £6.95 postage.
> http://www.woodworkscraftsupplies.co.uk ... cts_id=440
> happy scrolling
> Steve



£30.83 for a gross of #5 PGT Reverse at Wooden Teddybear.

I haven't checked the budget yet, I wonder if George has knocked anything of the inflated price of scroll saw blades in the UK?


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## toesy (21 Mar 2014)

Help me out here, Gross = how many blades, is this a 144?

So on Wooden Teddybear if I select GROSS rather than the DOZEN and change QTY to - I would be ordering 288 Blades and not 24... Sorry for being thick...


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## toesy (21 Mar 2014)

DOH

So if your ordering 12 or more packs of 12 blades, then you get the GROSS price, if your order say just 3 packs of blades, then that would be 36 blades at the DOZEN price...

To much Danish fumes tonight me thinks....


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## martinka (21 Mar 2014)

toesy":2ltl5ovc said:


> DOH
> 
> So if your ordering 12 or more packs of 12 blades, then you get the GROSS price, if your order say just 3 packs of blades, then that would be 36 blades at the DOZEN price...
> 
> To much Danish fumes tonight me thinks....


You got there eventually, toesy. :mrgreen:


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## toesy (1 Apr 2014)

After reading this post and gilljc reply about buying blades from Wooden teddy bears - I did, ordered them on the 28th March and they arrived today 1st April. WOW !!!

Er might have bought a few more than I needed.... Think ive worked it out to be 540 blades.... LOL should keep me going for bit.

Thanks to gilljc - saved me a small fortune.


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