The Hardest Thing in Scrolling For Me

[Bullfighter]

Hi, i also use the FD ultra reverse blade and they have i dent at the top on all sizes.
That it's super for my bad eyes.

[Hawaiilad]

I'm sure we all have had the same problem.  When I receive an order of blades, I take the time to place them top to bottom by either eyesite (not very good at that any longer) or use the thumb process.  Then I place them in the holders with the top of all the blades up so when I insert a new blade, I will know right away which end goes up.  Painting would be a great idea, but I would be worried the paint would make the blades to large to fit into the holder...I could be wrong on this.

Larry

[Jim Finn]

I have no problem feeling the direction of the teeth on FD Polar #5 blades.  I also use the FD ultra reverse blades with the "dimple" on the top.  When doing inlay work (I do not do fretwork) when the dimpled blades break and I need to insert a new blade into the unfinished cut the dimple restricts this. (My saws require a bottom feed) I have to hammer out that dimple before it will go into the cut.  The ultra reverse blades last longer than the polar blades for me but that dern dimple is a bother.

[dirtrider73068]

I use reverse blades alot and found it is hard to tell, but if I get a new package of blades I insert them back into the pack in the same direction mostly with the top of the blade at the top of the open package so I know what is the top, also on the fd reverese if you look the bottom of the blade has less blade sticking past the teeth then the top is how I tell mine from top and bottom, the ultra reverese has a dimple in the top of the blade. I have a lighted maginifer from harbor frieght and use it to tell the blade direction sometimes.

[pddesertrat]

I found the solution, it is very easy to tell with spiral blades.... You can easily feel which direction the teeth run. 

[DWSudekum]

So far, the hardest part of scrolling for me is determining which direction to put the blade on the scroll saw, which way is up.  I always try the holding the blade at eye level and dragging it between my index finger and thumb, method and I probably get it correct 60% of the time.  Once I start scrolling I can usually, pretty quickly determine if I was correct or not by moving the blade lightly along a cut and seeing which side of the blade cuts as I move it.  I don't know why they don't mark the top of  the blade like the FD #5 blades. 

Are there other way to tell other than what I stated?  I have spent some time search the internet for answers but as yet haven't found much.  Seems to me it would be covered in every tutorial or video about blades.  Maybe I just the alone in this, but it should be easy in my opinion.  I know posting this will help show how stupid I am, but well that is life.

A lot of the newer Flying Dutchman blades have a ridge at the top of the blade so that you know what way is up.

DW

[jbrowder]

Using my reading glasses, I hold the blade up against a white background.

[EIEIO]

PD - you could try Crown Tooth blades. They can be installed either direction so impossible to get wrong, and you get double duty from them - when they are dull, flip them over and you have a new set of sharp teeth. They also leave a very clean bottom end. They seem to be slower cutting, but I'm not usually in a big hurry.