Author Topic: Jewelers's saw blades. (Read 8946 times)

Thawk · « **on:** May 12, 2015, 06:54:55 AM »

What size blades do you guys recommend? I ordered an assortment when I bought the saw but now I need to buy some more. The smallest ones seem to break too easy on me. Thanks for the help.

Tim

jerrywh · « **Reply #1 on:** May 12, 2015, 10:54:51 PM »

It depends on what your cutting. There should be three teeth touching the metal in the cut.
If your cutting brass that is 1/16 thick you need a blade with 3 teeth every 1/16" or a 48 tooth pr. inch blade to be ideal. For cutting out patch boxes I use a 3/0. a 3/0 blade has between 57 and 60 teeth pr. in. depending on the brand.

kaintuck · « **Reply #2 on:** May 13, 2015, 12:42:37 AM »

Quote from: Thawk on May 12, 2015, 06:54:55 AM

What size blades do you guys recommend? I ordered an assortment when I bought the saw but now I need to buy some more. The smallest ones seem to break too easy on me. Thanks for the help.
Tim

we ALL have a collection of broken blades......I saw real easy and slow, holding the saw with only couple of fingers.....

and I STILL break blades.......
tomtom n marc

P.W.Berkuta · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2015, 01:00:10 AM »

Quote from: Thawk on May 12, 2015, 06:54:55 AM

What size blades do you guys recommend? I ordered an assortment when I bought the saw but now I need to buy some more. The smallest ones seem to break too easy on me. Thanks for the help.

Tim

Jerry's answer is spot on and yes we all break blades no matter how careful we are but - a quality saw frame is very important. Some of the "cheap" saw frames don't apply the tension correctly to the blade and as a result the blade twists / flexes and snaps.

KLMoors · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2015, 01:00:56 AM »

I do 90% of my cutting with these blades in my coping saw. Way tougher than jewlers saw blades and will cut most of the curves. I do the leftover real tight stuff with a jewlers saw.

http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Larson-540-7550-Coping-Blades/dp/B0012XNAWO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431467939&sr=8-1&keywords=larsen+metal+cutting

WKevinD · « **Reply #5 on:** May 13, 2015, 01:27:20 AM »

I have been using #2 &#3 blades for patchboxes. I have found that the blades cut best (break less) when they are getting dull. If I snap an inch or two off a blade I just re clamp it and continue on. Most of my breaks happen when I try and back it out of a cut instead of releasing the blade. Slow and easy, use wax, fingertips!
Kevin

stuart cee dub · « **Reply #6 on:** May 13, 2015, 02:55:52 AM »

Buy good quality blades .The cheap ones break right away.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2015, 04:00:15 AM »

Chris Treichel · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2015, 05:29:26 AM »

After taking some classes... with a jewlers saw used properly there should be almost no need for clean up... you can even use a jewlers saw to "sand" in ight corners. There are lots of tricks but the most important part is to make yourself a good bench pin and saw as vertically as possible in smooth strokes with lots of lube. Also position yourself so that when your hand is neutral the forarm is parallel to the floor so either raise your work or lower your chair.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2015, 06:10:45 AM »

Some blades have rounded backs, which helps going around turns. Buy the best ones, because they are still cheap, and they are tougher and cut longer.

kaintuck · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2015, 02:22:33 PM »

When they get dull, you need to stop and sharpen them......they will cut better and faster

Tomtom

moleeyes36 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2015, 02:43:18 PM »

No matter what size blade you use, think lubrication. Keep the blade lubed with bee's wax as you cut. It will cut easier and faster as well as resist binding and breaking as often. You'll still break a blade occasionally, but you'll notice a marked improvement.

Mole Eyes

Thawk · « **Reply #12 on:** May 13, 2015, 06:02:49 PM »

Thanks everyone!. I'm putting in my order today.

Tim

jerrywh · « **Reply #13 on:** May 14, 2015, 10:40:31 PM »

I have never broken a jewelers saw blade. I am still using the first one I bought.

kaintuck · « **Reply #14 on:** May 15, 2015, 12:15:40 AM »

I think I hear SOMEone's nose growing..........

tomtom

yip · « **Reply #15 on:** May 15, 2015, 04:28:28 AM »

i also break blades,don't know whether i'm heavy handed or what. I've been known to throw that %!^%$%%$&&^%^ saw across the floor and use my ole reliable hack saw...........yip

jerrywh · « **Reply #16 on:** May 15, 2015, 05:06:43 AM »

Using a jewelers saw is something you need to study some.
It is not like most any other saw.
The cut is on the pull stroke like the Japanese do. It is best to saw straight at yourself and if not possible then straight away. A must is to use the proper blade. Three teeth engaging the metal is always best if not mandatory. I routinely cut out gold inlays from .010 to .015 thick gold and silver. Some of them are complex shapes only .125" in diameter. That is no big deal for engravers and jewelers. Do not tighten the blade banjo tight. It is best to leave it slightly flexible. Wax the bottom of the material. I use bees way but just plain paraffin will do. On thin stuff I super glue the metal to a pop cycle stick or a tongue depressor and then wax the back of the stick. Cheap saws are like all cheap tools they work sometimes.
I have never found anything that cheap saw blades are good for accept the garbage can. I suggest you buy the very best German or Swiss blades that you can find The most expensive ones are the best deal. I use a 8/0 on thin gold and cannot see the teeth with my naked eyes. I feel it with my tongue to see which way the teeth go.

WKevinD · « **Reply #17 on:** May 15, 2015, 05:31:49 AM »

Anybody have contact info for suppliers of good blades? Or at leasta brand name of what you have experienced as good blades?
Kevin

docone · « **Reply #18 on:** May 15, 2015, 06:11:45 AM »

Grobet 2/0 blades
My favourite

Chris Treichel · « **Reply #19 on:** May 15, 2015, 04:06:40 PM »

I buy them from Ottofrei.com but there are lots of choices... I think this is going to come down to your style of cutting and the stuff you are cutting rather than any specific brand. Really hard blades like the Swiss platinum tend to be harder and cut harder steel well but shatter in gummy metals like brass. Softer blades do great in brass but cut like a butter knife against steel.
I have bought a few gross of different brands and am still experimenting.
Vallorbe are nice ones too.
Stay away from the cheapo ones, no name brand ones as they tend to just break on contact and are not worth the frustration.

Chris Treichel · « **Reply #20 on:** May 15, 2015, 04:14:14 PM »

I have also noticed that I tend to do extended pierce work cutting with a jewlers saw better at the about 1-2 beer per hour level.

Something zen about doing a lot of jewlers saw work.
You have to get into a rhythm... if you loose that it all goes to pot so better to take a break and come back later than try to rush it, or pound through it.

Using files is your pennance for doing bad saw work.

One of my next projects is to make a 17th century cut steel covered powder flask... maybe I will post some pictures. But that will be a lot of jewlers saw and engraving work.

Acer Saccharum · « **Reply #21 on:** May 15, 2015, 05:00:37 PM »

The biggest problems come from trying to cut with the saw blade in a horizontal position. This puts too much pressure on the blade.

Set your work on a jeweler's pin, which is nothing more than a small board with a slot in it. Move the saw up and down vertically, with very light pressure. You need to hold the handle lightly, as in playing the violin, not hoeing the garden. Let the saw feed itself through the work.

If you find the saw binding, you could be:
1)cutting too fast
2)not using lube
3)blade is dull
4) changing the angle of the blade during the cut. (this is the most likely problem)

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Author Topic: Jewelers's saw blades. (Read 8946 times)

Thawk

kaintuck

kaintuck

Thawk

kaintuck

docone