The Sensuous Gadgeteer
(Page 8 of 11)
September/October 1973
By the Mother Earth News editors
THE HACKSAW AND THE TUNGSTEN CARBIDE WIRE SAW
RELATED CONTENT
These two cutting blades go together because they both fit on the same frame and because they both cut hard materials. The hacksaw is a thin metal blade mounted on a back. The hacksaw cuts lead, copper and copper alloys, and soft iron and steel. The knack to using the hacksaw consists of knowing how to keep the blade moving straight. No wobbling. This comes with practice. When the blade wobbles it binds in the groove it has cut, and it either catches or breaks.
Hold the work to be cut in a vise or on a convenient surface. and start the cut by resting the blade on the work, steadying it with your free thumb, and drawing it toward you slowly. This will nick the surface of the work and give the saw a guide place to start cutting.
The saw does its cutting when it is moving away from you and the sharp points of the teeth are entering the material to be cut. The speed of cutting depends on the pressure applied to the saw, not on the speed of the saw, so work slowly and evenly, and bear down on the power stroke. You may want to hold both ends of the saw, but this requires some practice to keep the saw from wobbling. Put a little cutting oil on the blade. This will carry away metal chips and will keep the work cool.
Touch the saw teeth every so often to see if they are still sharp. When they get dull, change the blade. Different hacksaws change blades in different ways, so find out when you buy your saw how to change its blades. The most common hacksaws change blades by turning a wingnut that loosens a square bolt that holds the blade. Some newer saws loosen the square bolt by turning a lever.
If you think that the hacksaw blade has grown dull too soon to suit you (say, after cutting 1/8" of material) get a tungsten carbide wire saw. There are several on the market, and most are good. Stay away from the ones with the washers on the ends to hold the wire saw to the saw frame because the washers have a way of breaking off prematurely. The disadvantage of the carbide saw is that it is three times thicker than the hacksaw blade, and you have-to grind three times as much steel to powder before you have your cut. However the carbide saw will cut car springs, stainless steel, bricks, rocks, tiles and bottlesjust like a billy goat. Keep your carbide saw cool, and your lungs free of dust, by oiling the blade with cutting oil when you use it. The carbide saw will cut a straight line.
For small delicate work it is sometimes handy to sit in a chair, rest the hacksaw handle on the seat between your legs with the blade facing away from you, and lean the back of the saw against your chest. Hold the work in your fingers and draw it carefully against the blade.
Except for unusual jobs, use hacksaw blades with medium teeth. The hacksaw is handy for cutting very hard tropical woods. The cutting edge is dull when it begins to feel the least bit slippery to the touch.
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