Jewellers saw blades/ageing brass

[monro1066]

Is there a standard size /brand jewellers saw blade TPI
that is most normally used .
Should the brass have been annealed first or cold.
What is the best method to age brass?
TY in advance .Any help is greatly appreciated .
Don

[smylee grouch]

Right or wrong I would anneal the brass

[Tim Crosby]

 See if this helps:

  https://www.anvilfire.com/21st-century-blacksmithing/basic-tools/jewelers-saw-blades/

 If not click "Search" above and type in "jewler saw blade" you will see:

  "Choose a board to search in, or search all"  and

  "Check all"  click the check mark in the box next to "Check all" it will disappear then click "Choose a board"

 When the next page pops up scroll down a bit on the right:

   Check the box next to "Gun Building" scroll down to the bottom of the page and on the right click
"Search" and you should find the answer. To the blade question.
 

   Tim C.

[Not English]

Don, I don't anneal the brass unless it's work hardened. It's usually an unnecessary first step. As far as aging brass goes, Birchwood Casey make brass black that works well. Apply and once dry, take it back with OOOO steel wool until you get the color you want. Kibler also sells an antiquing solution. I've used it on steel, but have not used it on brass yet.

Dave

[jerrywh]

There is no one fits all jewelers saw blade. The general rule is there should be 3 teeth contacting the metal in the cut. If the metal is 1/16" thick then you need 3 teeth for each 1/16 of an inch thickness.  So you figure 3 x 16 for the amount of teeth pr inch.  Therefore you would need a blade with 48 teeth pr inch. for a piece of metal 1/16" thick.
  Whatever, do not buy cheap blades they are only good for the trash can. Do not tighten the blade too tight in the saw. Leave the blade slightly slack and you will break a lot fewer blades. It really doesn't matter if the brass is annealed or not, Good saw blades will cut mild steel as well as brass.  I often cut metal .020 thick. figure that one.   The same rule goes for hacksaw blades as well.

[Not English]

Jerry, That's really interesting. I'm aware of cheap vs good hacksaw  blades. I've never given jewelers saw blades much thought other than they can be temperamental. Any recommendations?

Dave

[monro1066]

Thankyou all so much for yr help.
Regards Don

[deepcreekdale]

Another tip is to put a little  beeswax on the blade, it will make it cut noticeably quicker and helps keep the blade from breaking. I keep a chunk of beeswax at hand while using the jewelers saw and every few minutes rub a little on the BACK of the blade. Sometimes, if you get too much wax in the teeth, it can clog it up.

[horologist]

There is no one fits all jewelers saw blade. The general rule is there should be 3 teeth contacting the metal in the cut. If the metal is 1/16" thick then you need 3 teeth for each 1/16 of an inch thickness.  So you figure 3 x 16 for the amount of teeth pr inch.  Therefore you would need a blade with 48 teeth pr inch. for a piece of metal 1/16" thick.
  Whatever, do not buy cheap blades they are only good for the trash can. Do not tighten the blade too tight in the saw. Leave the blade slightly slack and you will break a lot fewer blades. It really doesn't matter if the brass is annealed or not, Good saw blades will cut mild steel as well as brass.  I often cut metal .020 thick. figure that one.   The same rule goes for hacksaw blades as well.

Excellent advice.

More info here:  https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=49382.0

There is no need to anneal before sawing. If you need to form the brass then annealing will help but keep in mind that unlike steel the only way to harden the brass again is through work hardening.

Troy

[Craig Wilcox]

I get my blades through Rio Grande in  New Mexico.  Fast service.  I generally buy a gross of whatever blades I require.  They come by the dozen.

I keep various sizes on hand, 5-0, 2-0 (my most-used size), 3, 5, and 8.  All will cut brass, steel, wood, aluminum, fingers.  I did use my saw to cut parts for airplanes from 4130 steel, thicknesses up to 0.125.  Do use the blade lube, either bees wax or the Rio Grande product "BurLife".  This can also be used on drill bits as a good lube.  BoeLube is about the same thing.

Cut smoothly, and don't try to force the blade into the cut.

[jerrywh]

Rio Grande's Lazer blades are good.  I look for the most expensive ones.

[Wayne Holcombe]

Rio Grande. Hurcules 00. The corners of the blade are rounded so they are easier to turn in a cut.I buy them by the gross.

[Not English]

Craig, Jerry, & Wayne. Thanks for the recommendations. I will follow up on them.

Dave

[Acer Saccharum]

Buy the best blades you can, rounded back edge allow turns. Jerry is correct that you should have 3 teeth in the material at any given time. A wax on the blade helps, nice tension on the blade (ping! when you strum it) Let the saw feed itself, don't pressure it forward.

Set up a wooden Vee board clamped to your bench, so the material is held flat on the board, and you must have the blade held vertically. Stroke the saw easily, cut only on the pull. Any twisting side to side will cause the saw to bind. Pushing the saw will also cause binding.

[P.W.Berkuta]

All the above advise is good advise. I will add that anything less than a straight vertical cut will result in broken blades. Try to move the saw in a straight up & down vertical motion  .

[A.Merrill]

 Rio Grande laser gold blad3s. Fast service.    Al

[Marcruger]

Cold blue from just about any company will darken brass.  Clean it well with alcohol.  I heat the brass before applying cold blue.  Let sit 5 minutes, then rinse or oil. Run back with OOOO or bronze wool.  If it doesn’t look right, do it again. It has worked for me. God bless, Marc