Blades for Stradsaws

My smallest, most compact blade!  Made from 0.035" thick carbon steel, this blade yields four complete octaves - from G below middle C and up.  With a playing length of only 26", this blade has a generous 7" bass width.  The tone is surprisingly rich for a blade so small, yet every note is strong and even, with good sustain.  Paired with the matching Minstrel base handle, the whole saw measures less than 32" from tip to tip - making it smaller than most other musical saws and handsaws. It's a great saw for everyone, but it's especially excellent for players with limited reach!

This has been my most successful,  popular blade.  The playing length is 28", and the bass width is 7.5", giving it a surprising bass end - it goes down to C below middle C, and up four octaves!  Made with 0.035" thick steel, it has a firm, secure feel, and the tone is warm and full, with great sustain for a blade of this size.  This is a great choice for fast playing!  Perfect for people who are used to a handsaw.  Also good for players with limited reach!

This is an expanded version of the Microbass - with a playing length of 29 inches and a bass width of 8", this blade is excellent in every way!  The extra metal gives it great sustain and a somewhat fuller, richer tone.  Four complete octaves.

Deliberately designed for easy bending - great for playing with or without a cheat!  The playing length is 30 inches, and the bass width is 7.75".  This blade can reach as much as five octaves!  And it has very good harmonics! Made with thinner steel that is 0.032" thick.

Superbass blades come in three different lengths and two thicknesses.  These are large, robust blades which have extended low ranges, strong tone and great sustain.  Superbass blades work best in the longer base handles - including Models B, C and D.  Thicknesses include 0.035" and 0.040".  The thicker steel is best for the longest(34") blade.  It can also be used on the 32" blade, but it will be stiff!  These full-sized blades are very similar to the popular French-built lame sonore blades.  They are excellent, professional blades - at home in studios, concert halls and everywhere else!  They may be too large for people of limited reach - I can help you decide if a Superbass blade is right for you!

• 30-Inch: Measures 30" x 8" x 1.25" x 0.035" - This blade is compact enough for people of average reach, but it has the extended low range of the larger blades!  4 octaves, down to low C two octaves below middle C.
• 32-Inch: Measures 32" x 8" x 1.25" x 0.035" - This blade has the same range as the 30 and 34-inch blades, but a bit more sustain and power than the the 30-Inch.
• 34-Inch: The BIG blade - for serious sawing! Measures 34" x 8.25" x 1.25" x 0.040" - This blade is thicker and bigger than any of my other blades.  It is capable of huge sound and sustain, and  it reaches all the way down to  B -  TWO OCTAVES below middle C! Surely a record among saw blades!  This Superbass holds its own against the best lame sonore - and against other instruments.  The sound will fill a concert hall!  It can be a BEAR to handle - if you are a person of small stature or slight musculature!  Not for the faint of heart!

I am currently the only source of bronze blades in the world!  A bronze musical saw will never rust.  It looks really amazing - like deep copper when new, and it ages to the classic bronze color.  Bronze is softer than steel, and it can be bent out of shape if you bend it too aggressively.  The whole key to playing a bronze blade is to use gentler bending and lighter bowing.  It is a gentle metal!  It responds beautifully to a light touch, and the tone is soft and warm.  Not as loud as steel, bronze does well in quieter settings, and when played by itself.  It sounds great in the recording studio!  And it's a perfect choice for quiet practice!  But bronze is VERY different from steel, in how it handles!  Be prepared for a bit of a learning curve, as you get used to the differences.  Many people learn to really LOVE bronze - but not everyone takes to it!  I onlt make bronze blades occasionally - when someone asks for it!

Stradsaw blades are currently available in three very different and distinctive finishes!  You can choose exactly the finish you want!

• Plain Steel, Polished: The classic musical saw blade finish.  I grind the metal down through twelve grits of abrasive, until it has a fine polish, just shy of mirror!  The surface will be easily scratched and is prone to rust, so I recommend the frequent use of "Renaissance Wax," which does a great job of protecting and preserving your finish!
• Natural Black Tempered Finish, Polished: This is the surface that my spring-tempered carbon steel comes with - straight from the foundry! It is not always possible to keep the black surface unblemished, as I cut and grind the blade to shape!  A black blade looks very attractive, especially against the colorful hardwood handles!  But it is still rust-prone, and it must be given the same care as plain polished steel.  
• Prismatic Finish: For an extra fee, I can grind the entire surface of any blade, to produce a holographic finish!  This incredible treatment creates a mesmerizing play of light and color as the blade is flexed in performance...the blade literally shimmers and projects light rays in a three-dimensional display!  Best of all, the grind process makes the blade surfaces considerably more resistant to both rust and scratches!  It takes up to two hours to grind in this finish!
• Bronze: Bronze blades are finely polished - to almost a mirror shine.  Bronze can also be given the prismatic finish!