This roundup stays with pin-end blades because that is the compatibility line that matters most at the start. If your saw uses plain-end blades, a pin-end assortment will not solve the setup problem.
The picks below break down into five jobs: the broad first drawer, the budget practice pack, the faster rough-cut pack, the wood-focused pack, and the fine-detail pack. That keeps the decision practical instead of crowded.
| Pick | Best for | Why it fits | Watch out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olson Saw 10-Blade Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End) | One starter drawer for mixed bench work | Broad coverage gives a simple first buy for common cuts and general setup | Not specialized enough if you already know your favorite blade style |
| Pegasus Pin-End Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Assorted Sizes) | Budget-minded practice and experimentation | Lets a new user compare blade behavior without building a large drawer first | Less curated, so the drawer needs more sorting discipline |
| Skip Tooth Olson Saw Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End) | Faster rough cutting and larger openings | Skip-tooth blades suit jobs where speed matters more than a polished edge | Not the cleanest choice for tiny detail work |
| Pin-End Scroll Saw Blade Assortment for Wood (Olson Saw, Assorted Sizes) | Wood-first pattern work and cutouts | Stays close to common woodworking tasks without drifting into a very generic mix | Narrower than a broad starter assortment |
| Tpi Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End, Assorted TPI) | Fine-detail control | Assorted TPI gives more control over how the blade behaves on delicate cuts | Adds more decision-making at the bench |
Use the table to narrow the drawer, then read the sections for the kind of work each pack supports.
Olson Saw 10-Blade Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End) — Best overall
The Olson Saw 10-Blade Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End) is the easiest default for a first scroll saw drawer. It works well for a bench that sees a mix of practice cuts, small decorative projects, and general pattern work because it gives you one organized starting point instead of several different specialty packs.
That matters on a workshop bench. A beginner or returning user usually wants a blade assortment that reduces the number of choices at the saw, not one that turns the first setup into a guessing game. This pack makes it easier to get to the work quickly and keep the drawer simple.
Its limitation is the same thing that makes it useful: it stays broad. If your shop already leans toward one clear cutting style, such as fast rough removal or very fine interior detail, this pack will feel more general than necessary. Choose a different option when the bench has already settled into a specific lane.
Pegasus Pin-End Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Assorted Sizes) — Best value pick
The Pegasus Pin-End Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Assorted Sizes) suits the buyer who wants a lower-commitment first pack and does not mind learning by comparison. It is the practical choice when the main goal is to get blades on the bench, try different behaviors, and figure out which style feels most useful before buying more specialized refills.
This helps because a scroll saw bench often teaches you what it needs after a few projects, not before. A value-oriented assortment gives room for that learning stage without locking you into a more curated setup too early. It is especially useful if you are still building the rest of the saw station and want the blade drawer to stay modest.
The trade-off is organization. A less curated assortment asks more of the user, because the drawer can get confusing if every pack looks like a near match. Choose this one when savings and experimentation matter most. If you want the cleanest first buy and fewer decisions, the Olson starter pack above is the better fit.
Skip Tooth Olson Saw Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End) — Best for faster cuts
The Skip Tooth Olson Saw Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End) is the right choice for benches that see more cutting than delicate finishing. Skip-tooth blades are useful when the job is larger openings, quicker material removal, or a pattern that benefits from moving through the cut instead of lingering on it.
That makes this pack useful for rougher shop work and for projects where the next step after sawing is sanding or cleanup. It gives the bench a speed-oriented option, which is handy when a broad starter assortment would feel too neutral and a detail blade would feel too slow.
The limitation is edge finesse. Skip-tooth blades are not the best answer for tiny ornaments, very tight turns, or detailed fretwork that needs the cleanest possible line straight off the saw. Choose a different assortment if your projects live in the detail lane. For finer cuts, the TPI assortment below is a better match.
Pin-End Scroll Saw Blade Assortment for Wood (Olson Saw, Assorted Sizes) — Best for wood-first benches
The Pin-End Scroll Saw Blade Assortment for Wood (Olson Saw, Assorted Sizes) makes sense when the saw is mostly used for wood projects rather than a mix of random hobby tasks. Think cutouts, plaques, small pattern pieces, and the sort of bench work that lives close to woodworking rather than general tinkering.
This helps because a wood-first assortment keeps the bench focused. Instead of a pack that tries to speak to every possible scroll saw use, it stays close to the kind of jobs many hobby shops repeat. That makes it easier to build a consistent blade drawer around common wood patterns and familiar stock sizes.
Its limit is scope. A wood-centered assortment does not stretch as naturally to every other style of scroll saw use, so it is less useful if the bench needs one pack that handles a wider spread of project types. Choose a more general starter assortment if the saw gets shared across many different kinds of work.
Tpi Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End, Assorted TPI) — Best for detail control
The Tpi Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End, Assorted TPI) is the most deliberate choice in the list. It suits users who already think in terms of cut quality, blade aggressiveness, and how much control they want over a pattern rather than just how many blades are in the drawer.
That is useful when the work leans toward fine interior cuts, small corners, and projects where the saw needs to behave predictably on a tight line. An assorted-TPI pack gives the bench more range to match the blade to the pattern, which can matter more than owning another broad, all-purpose starter set.
The trade-off is that this pack asks for a little more thought. It is not the easiest first purchase if you want one simple drawer and nothing more. Choose a different assortment if your priority is quick setup and broad coverage; choose this one when detail control belongs at the center of the bench.
How to arrange the first blade drawer
A starter assortment works best when the storage is as simple as the purchase.
- Keep each blade family in its own envelope, slot, or small labeled container.
- Mark the storage by end style and general use, such as general, speed, wood-first, or detail.
- Put the pack you reach for most often in the easiest-to-grab spot.
- Leave some empty space so the drawer does not turn into a catchall for loose packets.
- Add the second specialty pack only after the first assortment starts to feel limiting.
That setup keeps the bench from becoming a search task. It also makes a starter assortment more useful over time, because the right blade is easy to find and the wrong one is easy to leave alone.
Final verdict
For most buyers setting up a scroll saw bench, the Olson Saw 10-Blade Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End) is the clearest first choice. It gives broad starter coverage without making the drawer complicated, which is exactly what a first assortment should do.
Choose the Pegasus Pin-End Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Assorted Sizes) when you want a lower-commitment learning pack. Choose the Skip Tooth Olson Saw Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End) when faster rough cutting matters more than fine detail. Choose the Pin-End Scroll Saw Blade Assortment for Wood (Olson Saw, Assorted Sizes) when the bench is mostly wood pattern work. Choose the Tpi Scroll Saw Blade Assortment (Pin-End, Assorted TPI) when detail control is the main reason you are buying blades.
This way the first blade drawer supports the way the bench really gets used, instead of filling space with packets that do not earn their spot.