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While teaching in England this summer I had a sudden and miraculous encounter with Pégas coping saw blades – and I am a convert.
I rarely say this sort of thing, but here we go: Buy them. Buy as many as you can afford. Encourage the company to make more blades like this.
If you want to skip the backstory and just order the darn blades, go to Tools for Working Wood if you live in North America. Go to Workshop Heaven if you live in England or Europe. Click until it hurts.
OK, so here’s the background: I use coping saws quite a bit to remove waste and to cut curves. I’ve been using them since age 11 and am more comfortable with this tool than any other. For years I suffered with my Craftsman coping saw and home-center blades. These blades worked, but it was a struggle.
In the 1990s, I bought an Olson coping saw made in Germany and started using the company’s blades. This was a huge improvement over the home-center stuff. In fact, the Olson saw and blades were the best I could buy for many years.
But things change.
Olson moved the manufacturing of its coping saws overseas for some parts. The Olson blades are still good – way better than the home-center blades – but they don’t hold a candle to the Pégas blades. The Pégas blades have less set and last much longer than the Olson blades.
During the last few months, I’ve been using and abusing both brands in my shop. I can get about one carcase of dovetails out of an Olson blade. The Pégas blades just keep cutting and cutting. I’ve made four carcases with one Pégas blade and am still going.
OK, so here’s the crazy part. Pégas blades are cheaper than Olson blades at Tools for Working Wood (as of this moment).
And this, my friends, is why I remain an independent writer. I’ve never received a free tool or blade from anyone, so I am unencumbered by obligation or guilt.
Support Pégas as long as they hold the line on quality. I will.
— Christopher Schwarz
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
I’m told that Lee Valley will shortly be carrying at least the 18tpi skip-tooth Pegas blade, in case anyone is looking for a source in Canada.
I think you upset Olsen. Actually they make good blades too. But it doesn’t hurt to challenge them to do better. And to find a longer lasting blade at a lower cost these days is a red flag that someone should do a better job rather than nit pick. I’m sure Olsen is up to it once they get over the shock so I won’t buy a lifetime supply but will expect them to arise to the challenge rather than take a poke at the one pointing out someone is doing a better job wait for them to say “hey Chris. How about trying these out and see if they are Not the best you ever used”. In the meantime Pegas just got a windfall for making a better blade. I’m all for any thing that make this less work and maybe a challenge to do even better as usual I find myself thanking you for showing me a better way a faster way A safer way or a way when I could not figure out a way in the first place. And for being willing to share. I remember a story you wrote when you were getting ready to do some work and one of your children came in with a friend and a problem and your comment was looks like this day will not be the day you will finish the job you had to do. I remember then being impressed that you seemed to have your priorities right. Your child was not only blessed that day to have a father she trusted to fix the problem and perhaps a little ” I told you he would help us to her friend”. But also a lesson to all who would listen to keep your priorities straight. Thanks for the tip on the blades but also for multiple tips on how to live a life full of joy and abundance that has nothing to do with money. And thank you for sharing those lessons with those willing to listen. You teach at a lot of levels for those willing to learn and I appreciate all the lessons. Olsen… Don’t try to cut down someone who will really embarrass you just bring himself if you are not careful. Rather change how you make your blades so you make the better blade and you will get a lot more business and still be able to say “Made in the USA “with pride. Rather than trying to use that as an excuse for making a poor product when you can do better. https://ssl.palmcoastd.com/0768N/apps/COMBO_MULTI?ikey=I**V04
How many different types of coping saws does Olson make? there seems to be a wide range of prices for what looks like the same saw.
Woodcraft usually has a good selection of Pegas blades. I have never needed to order them and pay those silly shipping fees, but I have a store reasonably close-by.
They were available from b2b pro, I bought 144 of them 10 minutes after your original post. And if they last as long as you say I will never have to buy an 18 point skip tooth blade again. They fit perfectly my knew concepts coping saw frame and they cut as described, so thanks for the tip.
Competition heating up….Consumer = WINNING!
I got mine off that B2B site from Cathedral City CA after Chris’s first post. Sorry, don’t have the URI, but I think it’s here on the blog somewhere. Shipped fast, got to me in great shape.
Having been “Schrwarzed” a couple of times in the past, I immediately got on the horn to Grobet (who make the Pegas blades, and ordered a bunch. I have been installing the 18tpi Pegas blade in my saws for a long time, and was (I think) the one that brought them to Chris’s attention.
I was late to the race, and was informed that I will not get any until early November 🙁
In the meantime, I have a good supply of the 18tpi standard blade.
Woodcraft Heaven is one of my distributors in England and a delight to work with.
The Knew Concepts frame takes standard 6-3/8″ pin to pin coping saw blades.
To some extent, quality is in the eye of the beholder, and after a lot of testing, I settled on the Pegas blade as the best blade that I could find that matches the capability of the Knew Concept saw.
Lee (the saw guy)
I would like to clarify some of the misinformation being espoused about Olson coping saw blades. First, 100% of Olson’s coping saw blades are manufactured in the USA at our Bethel, CT manufacturing facility. Second in reference to your first blog, Olson coping saw blades are set at .026-.029 using .020 thick material, this has been established as the optimum set for coping jobs. In regards to length we do sell millions of coping saw blades per year that fit every saw frame out there… maybe some new expensive models (Knew Concept) that have come out recently will require a 6-1/2” pin center and we would be happy to provide them. The author mentioned he is not aware of an 18 TPI coping saw blade yet Olson does offer one coping saw blade with 18 tpi with regular teeth, a 16 tpi skip tooth and an extra fine 24 tpi. These are for tight turning coping applications (moldings, etc).
Bottom line is if your really interested in quality USA made products and more specifically USA made coping saws the ONLY choice is the Olson brand not the European PEGAS.
Well to late, they are out of both set of blades. Bummer!
Chris, Rob Porcaro wrote of these blades as well. He suggested Ben’s Scroll Saw as a good sources. They have a huge selection of Pégas blades available… just an alternative source.
I’ve used the 18 pt. skip-tooth blades. They are great for waste removal. I have some 10 pt. on order for scrolling in bracket feet etc.
There are two types….10 and 18 tooth. Which one is best? Thanks.
You can also find these at Woodcraft, which may be closer to home. (It is for me.)
OK, so Olson saws aren’t what they used to be. Too bad. Any feedback on Knew Concepts saws ?
OK, so Olson saws aren’t what they used to be. Too bad. Any feedback on Kew Concepts saws ?