Jewelers saw or fret saw

[toolmiser]

I've picked up a couple saws at garage sales, I have thought they were jewelers saws, but started poking around and "fret saws" come up. Are they the same? I will post a picture tomorrow. Where and what should I get for blades? Yes they look nice hanging on a wall, but hard to justify having if I can't use them even if I want to.

Thanks!

[Axehandle]

Im a big proponent of using what you have at least once before you "think" you need something different.

[JR1]

IN many cases they are the same. I had a cheap version and it wasn't very useful. The Knew Concepts is. But unless you use it a lot—like for cutting dovetails its pretty expensive

[Timberwolf]

Quote:

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Are they the same?

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They are the same "general design", but fret saws are usually larger and the blade holder may be different..It may also have a deeper throat...Jeweler's saws usually have a way to use different length blades and the method of holding them may be different..And they are usually much more "delicate" in construction.

[Bill_Houghton]

Lee Valley and Tools for Working Wood both sell blades. For that matter, so does the big online retailer named after the forest in Brazil. I own a couple of saws, including one seriously deep throat fret saw, and haven't yet found their best use for my shop. The blades are very delicate, so best suited for cutting very thin stuff.

[AHill]

Bill_Houghton said:

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...The blades are very delicate, so best suited for cutting very thin stuff.

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Hmm. Never had an issue with my fret saw blades breaking while wasting out dovetails. I have a Knew Concepts fret saw. If the blade is properly tensioned, there's less of a chance of it breaking. And that is often a problem with the traditional style fret saws. On a scroll saw, you tension the blade until you can hear a decent ping when you flick the blade. Same applies to a fret saw blade, IMO.

[Timberwolf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKMMr1e-qxA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KemaiUGmDo8

[C. in Indy]

Does anyone have a guideline on how skinny the dovetail-saw kerf can be, and still permit a good coping or fret-saw cut from those lines? I've finally got a super-fast, super-thin dovetail saw, and I didn't anticipate so much trouble getting a coping saw line started from those kerfs. I might saw an extra interior "fat kerf" just to help !

Thanks,

[AHill]

There's a subtle thing shown in both of the videos Timberwolf posted and that is the blade is installed to cut on the pull stroke - not the push stroke. Such thin blades really don't have the rigidity to handle much on a push stroke. I sometimes do the same with a coping saw.

[Admiral]

I've always done it on a coping saw....