best jigsaw blades

Frank Fusco

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A question about the best jig saw brought to mind, I don't know what is the best, or even a good, jig saw blade. I have a lot of B&Ds which are the pits, IMHO. Make saws (I have two) jump more than cut. Rarely ever use because of this but they could be very useful if I had decent blades.
Wat say the jury?
 
Has anybody mentioned Bosch yet? :D Bosch blades and a Bosch saw make a nice combination...I wasn't sure how much it was the saw and how much it was the blades, but when I first tried mine it was an "aha" moment. I finally saw how a jigsaw was supposed to cut. (Not like the B&D jig dancer I had before.)
 
Not sure if anyone here has ever tried the 'Bosch' brand, but they seem to work pretty well for me :rolleyes:

Anyway, when I look at them versus the cheaper blades, the cheaper blades just appear to have the teeth cut into the metal and then the teeth are bent to make the kerf. The bosch ones actually look like finely crafted little mini saws that apparently go through quite a lot more manufacturing to create...

I had an old cheapo jigsaw before I bought my bosch. Basically I think the thing was a hand massager more than a wood working tool. When I got done using it I could barely feel my hand. The bosch with the bosch blades is just so smooth...
 
Did someone say "Bosch"? ;)
Even my thick ole skull, I git the message. Thanks guys.

BTW, while on the subject. A funny story. Wish I could say it was someone else but I don't lie, at least not very often. :eek:
I'm mentioned before, I inherited a lot of miscellaneous wood working 'stuff', most not very useful. Among all the 'stuff' was a drawer full of jig saw blades. Some would not even go in the jig saws. I later figured out they were for Scintilla (sp?) saws, one of the original jig saws.
Well, enneyhow, I needed to make some plywood silhouettes for a Christmas display the wifey wanted. Put in a blade from the 'stuff' and proceeded to try to cut. Well, folks, that jiggy saw was a bouncin' and dancin' like a drunk at hoe down. Wadda mess. Hours to cut out the smallest piece. After giving up and just leaving my things where they were I went in the house saying not nice things. :eek:
Next day I came back and looked at my disaster. Looked carefully at the jig saw and found the teeth were pointing DOWN :eek: . Dunno what purpose they served but there were quite a few like that amongst the 'stuff'. I picked them out and discarded. It's easier with the right blades. :eek:;)
 
I have heard of this brand called Bosch.

I ran a Skil jigsaw when I absolutely had to, for years. I always thought jigsaws were jumping jacks that occasionally hacked around on wood if you could hang on good enough.

Listened to the resounding chorus and got myself a 1591VS. First time I tried it (cue the angelic chorus sounding a majestic chord) . . . I never knew a jigsaw was an actual tool.

I hardly ever use my circ saw anymore unless I am cutting long sections of sheet goods. The jigsaw sets nearby as my "cut to rough length" tool with a T101B in it. Other blades I like (YMMV):

T101AO - Super clean in 1/4" MDF for templates.
T244DP - Fast and pretty clean in hardwoods up to 1" or so.
T234X - 'Progressor' in the long length for 8/4 and up hardwoods.
T119BO - Good for tight curves in stock to about 1".
T118B - Although this is the 'basic' metal blade it has done well on anything I have thrown at it.
 
Bosch came out with a new jigsaw blade a couple of years ago. Since all the reviews I read were so positive, I bought a pack. The reviewers weren't wrong - best cutting jigsaw blade I have ever used. Not ideal for cutting tight radius curves because the blade is not small, but for any other cutting tasks you might have I think you will be very pleased.

Jim
 
Monday we went to our daughter's townhouse where she had a 'daddy do' project for me. I had promised to install a doggy door for her two little Yorkies since she sometimes is away for a couple days at a time on her job. This time something had to be done as she was going to be gone for several days. So, dutifully, I loaded up necessary tools and took the three hour drive over. Before going I went to Lowe's for a Bosch (on the recommendations of y'all. Thank you.) jigsaw metal cutting blade. Found what I needed, $11.96 for one blade. But, hanging next to it was a pack of ten blades of various kinds, including some metal cutters and a neat cloth packet to hold them, $20.96. A no brainer, especially since I need jigger blades. Well that metal cutter went through the two layers of steel and foam core door like butter. :D Made the job easy except for the wood frame being rotted.
I'm sold on the Bosch blades. BTW, there is a big Bosch facility of some kind on I40 west of Little Rock. Wonder wat they do there. I'll check it out.
 
Did someone say "Bosch"? ;)
Even my thick ole skull, I git the message. Thanks guys.

BTW, while on the subject. A funny story. Wish I could say it was someone else but I don't lie, at least not very often. :eek:
I'm mentioned before, I inherited a lot of miscellaneous wood working 'stuff', most not very useful. Among all the 'stuff' was a drawer full of jig saw blades. Some would not even go in the jig saws. I later figured out they were for Scintilla (sp?) saws, one of the original jig saws.
Well, enneyhow, I needed to make some plywood silhouettes for a Christmas display the wifey wanted. Put in a blade from the 'stuff' and proceeded to try to cut. Well, folks, that jiggy saw was a bouncin' and dancin' like a drunk at hoe down. Wadda mess. Hours to cut out the smallest piece. After giving up and just leaving my things where they were I went in the house saying not nice things. :eek:
Next day I came back and looked at my disaster. Looked carefully at the jig saw and found the teeth were pointing DOWN :eek: . Dunno what purpose they served but there were quite a few like that amongst the 'stuff'. I picked them out and discarded. It's easier with the right blades. :eek:;)

The link above show a number of blades with the teeth pointing down and some with teeth pointing both ways----USED BLADES MAKE GOOD LATHE TOOLS
 
I used to own a tool and fastener store 20 years ago. I still have dozens of different style Bosch jig saw blades. They never seem to wear out. I also have packs of AEG blades for those of you that remember AEG tools. They are just as good as the Bosch ones.
As far as recip and hack saw blades I use Lennox.
 
:thumb:
I have heard of this brand called Bosch.

I ran a Skil jigsaw when I absolutely had to, for years. I always thought jigsaws were jumping jacks that occasionally hacked around on wood if you could hang on good enough.

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Hows that card game go SNAP..:rofl::rofl:

Glenn i have been too way too embarrassed to admit i own a skill jigsaw.:eek:
I had the exact same experience as you. Thought they were jumping jacks and needed a visit to the gym before use.:rofl: I have yet to buy another for fear of a repeat performance. My next one i want to try before i buy i am that afraid.:rofl::D:thumb:

Listened to the resounding chorus and got myself a 1591VS. First time I tried it (cue the angelic chorus sounding a majestic chord) . . . I never knew a jigsaw was an actual tool.

I only hope i have the same experience as you.:)

 
:thumb:
I only hope i have the same experience as you.:)

I went through nearly the same experience and enlightenment. (I think it was a B flat Major chord the angels sang, but I'm not certain.) My original jigsaw was a Black & Decker from back in their yellowish/greenish color phase. When I got the 1590EVSK, I finally understood how a jigsaw should work. It's like using a finely-tuned L-N plane after spending your life using a poorly-sharpened Stanley from the Borg. ;)
 
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