Fret Saw Blades

About Fret Saw Blades

Fret saw blades are precision cutting tools designed for intricate, detailed work in wood, plastic, and soft metals. These fine-toothed blades fit into fret saws and coping saws, enabling craftspeople to execute tight curves, complex patterns, and delicate scrollwork that would be impossible with standard saw blades. Whether you're a professional furniture maker creating ornate inlays or a hobbyist working on model-making projects, having the right fret saw blades is essential for achieving clean, precise cuts in detailed work.

The selection at Tooled-Up.com includes high-quality fret saw blades from trusted manufacturers including Bahco, Draper, and Faithfull. These blades come in various tooth configurations and materials to suit different applications, from standard wood fretsaw blades for general woodworking to specialised spiral blades that can cut in any direction without turning the workpiece. Most fret saw blades are supplied in packs of 12, ensuring you have replacements on hand when blades break or become dull during detailed work.

The key advantage of fret saw blades is their extremely narrow profile, typically ranging from 0.5mm to 2mm wide, which allows for exceptionally tight radius cuts and intricate detail work. This makes them indispensable for tasks such as creating wooden jigsaw puzzles, marquetry, intarsia, model making, and intricate picture frames where precision is paramount. With standard lengths of around 130mm, these blades deliver the control and manoeuvrability required for the most demanding fretwork projects.

Jargon Buster

• TPI (Teeth Per Inch): The number of teeth along one inch of the blade. Higher TPI (18-32) produces finer, smoother cuts in thin materials, whilst lower TPI (10-15) cuts faster through thicker stock but with a rougher finish.
• Spiral Blades: Fret saw blades with teeth arranged in a spiral pattern around the blade rather than along one edge. These versatile blades can cut in any direction without rotating the workpiece, ideal for complex patterns and tight internal cuts.
• Skip Tooth: A blade pattern where every other tooth is omitted, creating larger gullets between teeth. This design improves sawdust clearance and reduces blade clogging when cutting thicker or resinous woods.
• Pin-End vs Plain-End: Pin-end blades have small pins at each end for quick mounting in some fret saws, whilst plain-end blades (most common) are flat and secured with clamps or thumbscrews, offering greater versatility across different saw models.
• Kerf: The width of the cut made by the blade as it passes through material. Fret saw blades produce an extremely narrow kerf, minimising material waste and allowing for tighter, more intricate patterns.
• Set: The slight outward bend given to alternating teeth on the blade. This creates a cut slightly wider than the blade thickness, preventing binding and allowing the blade to move freely through the material.

Who Uses Fret Saw Blades?

• Cabinet Makers and Joiners: For creating decorative inlays, intricate joinery details, and ornamental features in bespoke furniture
• Model Makers: Essential for precision cutting when building architectural models, scale replicas, and display pieces
• Luthiers: Musical instrument makers use fret saw blades for detailed work on guitars, violins, and other stringed instruments
• Picture Framers: For cutting custom mounts, decorative corners, and intricate frame profiles
• Woodturners and Carvers: To create detailed fretwork and decorative elements in turned and carved pieces
• Marquetry and Intarsia Specialists: For precise cutting of veneer and solid wood pieces to create pictorial designs
• Jewellery Makers: Using fret saws with appropriate blades to cut precious metals and plastics
• DIY Enthusiasts and Hobbyists: For home craft projects, puzzle making, and decorative woodworking
• Restoration Specialists: When repairing or recreating intricate components in antique furniture and period fittings

How to Choose the Right Fret Saw Blades

Material Being Cut: Wood fret saw blades are optimised for timber species with tooth geometry suited to cutting across and along the grain. For plastics or soft metals, you'll need blades specifically designed for those materials, which typically feature different tooth configurations and hardness levels.

Material Thickness: Match your blade's TPI to the thickness of your workpiece. For materials under 6mm thick, opt for 20-32 TPI for smooth, controlled cuts. For stock between 6-12mm, 15-20 TPI provides a good balance of cutting speed and finish. Thicker materials benefit from 10-15 TPI blades that clear waste efficiently.

Intricacy of Cuts: For exceptionally tight curves and internal cuts, spiral fret saw blades offer unparalleled manoeuvrability, cutting in all directions without repositioning. Standard blades work well for moderate curves and straight sections, whilst skip-tooth patterns excel at faster cutting with adequate dust clearance.

Blade Quality: Professional brands like Bahco available from Tooled-Up produce blades from high-carbon steel or hardened alloys that maintain sharpness longer and resist breakage better than budget alternatives. Whilst they cost more upfront, quality blades from established manufacturers deliver better results and longer service life, making them more economical for regular users.

Compatibility: Ensure the blades you select fit your fret saw or coping saw. Most modern saws accept plain-end blades secured with clamps, but check your tool's specifications. Standard fret saw blades typically measure around 130mm in length, though sizes can vary between manufacturers.

Pack Size: Fret saw blades are consumables that break during use, particularly when learning or working on complex projects. Purchasing blades in multipacks of 12 offers better value and ensures you have spares readily available, avoiding frustrating mid-project delays.

Popular Accessories

• Fret Saws and Coping Saws: The essential frame tools that hold and tension your fret saw blades
• Jeweller's Sawing Tables: Specialist benchtop work surfaces with V-notches and clamps designed specifically for fretwork
• Blade Clamps and Fittings: Replacement clamps and tensioning hardware for maintaining your fret saw
• Marking and Layout Tools: Precision pencils, marking knives, and templates for transferring patterns onto workpieces
• Wood Vices and Clamps: Secure workholding essential for safe, accurate fretwork
• Beeswax or Blade Lubricant: Reduces friction and blade binding when cutting resinous woods or plastics
• Fine Abrasives and Files: For refining cuts and smoothing edges after fretwork
• Safety Glasses and Dust Masks: Personal protective equipment for safe working practices

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do fret saw blades last?

Blade life varies considerably depending on material hardness, cutting technique, and blade quality. A high-quality blade from manufacturers like Bahco might last through several hours of careful work in softwoods, whilst harder materials or aggressive cutting techniques will dull or break blades more quickly. It's normal for blades to break during intricate work, particularly when navigating extremely tight curves, which is why purchasing multipacks is recommended.

Can I use fret saw blades in a powered scroll saw?

No, fret saw blades are designed specifically for manual fret saws and coping saws. Scroll saws require different blades with specific end fittings (pin-end or plain-end) designed to withstand the mechanical vibration and speed of powered operation. Using hand fret saw blades in a scroll saw would be dangerous and ineffective.

What's the difference between spiral and standard fret saw blades?

Standard fret saw blades have teeth along one edge and cut in a single direction, requiring you to rotate the workpiece or manoeuvre the saw frame to change cutting direction. Spiral blades feature teeth arranged around the entire circumference, allowing you to cut forwards, backwards, and sideways without turning anything. Whilst spiral blades offer exceptional versatility for complex internal cuts, they typically produce a slightly rougher finish than standard blades.

Why do my fret saw blades keep breaking?

Blade breakage usually results from excessive tension, forcing the blade through material rather than letting the teeth do the work, attempting curves that are too tight for the blade width, or twisting the blade during cuts. Ensure your blade is properly tensioned (taut but not over-tight), use smooth, controlled strokes without forcing, and select appropriately narrow blades for very tight radius work. Quality blades from reputable brands also resist breakage better than cheaper alternatives.

How do I install a fret saw blade correctly?

With the teeth pointing towards the handle (cutting on the pull stroke), secure one end of the blade in the clamp furthest from the handle. Compress the frame slightly by pressing the handle against your workbench, then secure the other end in the remaining clamp whilst maintaining tension. Release the frame and check the blade is taut and perpendicular to the frame. Proper tension produces a slight "ping" when plucked, similar to a guitar string.