Used but still good blades

[rja]

I am making a blade holder carousel for new blades. It will hold 16 sizes and types of blades - 4 sizes of 4 blades or some combination thereof. Not wanting to comingle used and new blades, what do you do with used but good blades to keep them in order and separated by size and type?

[wood-n-things]

I keep the little envelope they come in from Mike (fd blades) I have a storage unit I use for new blades but typically I just use them til they are no longer use able. I have seen several members mention they have an auxiliary table that raise their project up to cut on the upper half of a blade to prolong the life of a blade.

...Hmmmm waiting to see some answers/Ideas.

[greatdane2]

I started out saving blades that were still sort of ok, but keeping track of them and also were they still half good or 1/4 good. Now I just chuck them. A lot less stress.
I think anything I cut has to be as good as I can do and used blades can take away from that.

[JackM]

I agree with Alan, if it's worth cutting - it's worth a good blade. Also, I buy mine from Mike (FD) and at 20 - 24 cents a blade, why bother?

[Buzz]

I agree with a lot of the other posts. I use the same blade until it is dull and then trash it. And I double the life of the blade by using an auxiliary top so I change blades when they start to get dull. No more do I use them until they are so dull that they are hard to control and/or start to burn the wood.

[Kindlyoldpoop]

Jack M hit it right on the head, if it's worth cutting it's worth cutting well and at the price per blade why bother.

[workin for wood]

I temporarily save all my used blades. I just toss them on the corner of the workbench. I find them to be very useful for applying glue in small places. Put a few drops of glue on a scrap of wood, then scoop some up with the blade to stick down an eye hole or something similiar. I also use them a lot doing liquid inlays in pens. It basically become a stir stick where I can stick it in the tiny picture and stir the inlace into the tiny nooks and crannies while also removing air pockets. Once they have glue or inlace on them, then I chuck them in the trash...or as Ramsey says..in the bin.

[dankc908]

My wife commented, at a craft show, that she loved the paintings on old saws. I offered to let her paint on my old scroll saw blades but she just gave me a dirty look and went right on sewing!

[Wood Dog]

When I use a blade, and it still has some life to it, I put a small piece of tape around a few teeth , and return it to the holder it came out of. Now I know which one is used. Next time I need that particular blade I get the used one first, so as not to have all used blades in my holders. Now when they are dead, I put them in a jar next to my scrollsaw, because some day some brilliant member will come up with a good use for discarded blades, and I don't want to be the one without any discarded blades to try the idea. Works for me.

[KtownScroller]

rja - just reserve one tube (blade storage unit) for your used blades.

OR

Buy from Mike's. He is a great guy with good products. I'm sure storing a used 20 cent blade will not be worth your effort or worry. I can understand saving more expensive blades though.