# What do you do with your old bandsaw blades?



## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

I found this tip from americanwoodworker.com and thought it was a good idea.

http://americanwoodworker.com/blogs/steve_newman/archive/2010/12/14/od-bandsaw-blades.aspx

Anyone else have other uses for old bandsaw blades?

Mafe for some reason I have a feeling you know just what to do with them. Any tips?


----------



## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

They also can make good fret or coping saw blades.
I lucked out in getting a bunch of new blade stock, the "offcuts" from the shop that makes my blades.
Just measured 'em up. used their shear to cut to size and awwway we go !
My 1876 or '78 (the last digit on the patent date's one of the two) millers falls fret saw just uses thumb screws to hold the blades..


----------



## bluekingfisher (Mar 30, 2010)

Good tip Eric, I don't have any old B/S blades at the moment but something to remember when I do.

Cheers mate

David


----------



## DonnaMenke (Sep 20, 2006)

I read about cutting a fine toothed but wide blade to a good length, fastening down the ends flat to a board, and using the blade to cut sandpaper. Jut slip the paper under the blade and pull up sharply. Sounded like a good idea, but I've never done it. I always have broken blades around, but the 1/8" blades are useless for much of anything. The bigger blades I use are too coarse for that job.


----------



## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

Great idea Donna. I think those blades will last longer than a thin razor.


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

there is another blog here on L J about just can´t remember who started it …sorry
but one thing it can bee used to is take a piece and file the teeth of 
and you can use the peices in scratchstock´s after you have made the patern you want

Dennnis


----------



## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

Donna, a hacksaw blade makes a great sandpaper cutter as well


----------



## greasemonkeyredneck (Aug 14, 2010)

Cut a length about an inch long. Put a double bend on each end of that. Drill a hole at each end now small enough for a tiny finish nail. You have a hanger for a picture frame.


----------



## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

Williams sounds good too, although I think I'd file down those teeth first.


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

here is the blog I talked about , take a look

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/20212

Dennis


----------



## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

Thanks Dennis. I didn't know a topic already existed for it when I posted this.


----------



## Pop (Aug 6, 2007)

I have a Powermatic jig saw. I real one not what Bosch & others call a jig saw. (That's a sabra saw) Anyhow I use 1/8 & 1/16 blades for the jig saw. They don't make jig saw blades anymore. My machine would snatch a scroll saw blade smaller than a 9 into.

Pop


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

I know what you mean 
things pass so quickly on L J now
just think of if every L J post one project or blog in a year
it wuold bee something around 65 things you have to go thrugh
every day. but who can stay a wake 24/7 a week ….LOL
the last month it has nearly been a hundred projects every day
its realy tuff fora project to bee between the first two pages
more than 20 minuts

so you don´t have to excuse 
I just tryed to help and if more people see it with your questionblog the better
recycling is a great thing to learn ( I´m not fanatic ….lol )
but sometimes I just shake my head over what people toss

but I tip my hat for L Js most of them realy try to recycle one way or another in the shops 
or projects

take care
Dennis


----------



## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

And I thank you for posting that link. Seems that I'm the one that posted it over at American Woodworker. I've used as few as five pieces, taped together at each end, to use like a rifler file. I once used a "backer backer board", taped a nice, wide set of pieces to the board for a rasp. One could even make a float of sorts for those wood bodied hand planes out there.


----------



## Eric_S (Aug 26, 2009)

Thanks for posting it bandit!


----------



## Greedo (Apr 18, 2010)

the previous owner of my bandsaw had his own idea of dealing with snapped blades, he just left them in the machine! when i was tuning it i recovered several meters of blades that were just rolled around the axle, they made a noise but you couldn't see them.


----------



## Pop (Aug 6, 2007)

Hi Folks, That idea is not new but it's still a great idea. The Japanese have made a thing like that. I have one it's a super duper rasp.

Pop


----------



## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

You can make knives and scrapers with them. I've seen a good article on a woodcarving site about this somewhere but can't remember where.


----------



## kinverkid (Jul 27, 2017)

Another use for old blades but not woodwork connected is to wrap it around plant pots close to the bottom, teeth down, to help stop slugs and snails climbing? slithering? creeping? up.


----------

