Thread: Hack Saw vs Meat Saw?

They come in various curves depending on who made them. So some are deeper and some are deeper at the front than the back. They are rather sturdy. The blade is fixed in a slot between the rear curls so it doesn't tend to twist and wander as some of the newer cheaper hacksaws do. But you can't turn the blade 90 deg to the frame as per modern ones but how often does anyone do that.

Some had a saddle back so as you tightened it, it built up a spring tension against the blade. They do tension nicely.

IMO the handle makes you be a bit more refined in your use of the saw and gives a finer feel to the cut. Gents saw vs handsaw. I don't know if I can really give a satisfactory evaluation in words. Basically since I started using them they are my go to saw and the newer ones just don't seem to feel right in use.

Both of my full size saws take a modern Standard size blade. I was planning to use junior hacksaw blades for the small one and cut down standard blades to fit the rest.

A Lancashire pattern hacksaw was the standard for a long time. It lost out to the early adjustable back hacksaw frame as you only needed to buy one saw instead of 6. The irony I find in this is now we pretty much only have 1 size saw available in hardware stores.

When it comes to cutting metal I have so many options I only use a hacksaw for short cuts, delicate cuts and controlled cuts. Large stock, or heavy plate, beam etc I use either an angle grinder, bandsaw, power hacksaw, or cut off saw. Others will also have oxy, plasma, or water & laser cutting options.




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Dale

Like a lot of the older tools the hacksaws were built with more style and to a higher standard. I do agree with Ian in that I have become used to the vertical handle. I have several hacksaws which I arm with different tooth pitch to save swapping blades. I do use the 90 deg function, particularly when cutting PVC pipe in awkward positions ( such as where it enters the ground). I did this extensively just recently, although I concede this is not the normal use for a hacksaw. Under the circumstances, it was the only tool that would do the job.

I understand that Luke's original question is now largely academic as he has a hack saw. It sounded interesting so perhaps he might be able to post a pic.

Regards
Paul

Gah, I keep forgetting to photograph it... It's actually a pretty sweet saw with a cool, sort of 18th century looking wingnut for tightening it.

Unfortunately, I leave tomorrow for a few days away from home for work, so it'll be next weekend before I can get you a visual.

In the meantime... It's a small saw. Much smaller than I thought it would be, and certainly smaller than any hacksaw you can buy today. I think the blade, from end to end, is ten inches. Also, this one does not engage with holes... It engages with pins. The blade that's in it has two pins braised onto/through it, but It's likely that I'll have to fuss with a blade every time I swap it out. Luckily, I'm not a serious metal sawyer. It's likely I'll put a blade in it that will last for a while, so cutting it off and drilling some pin holes won't be a huge deal.

Cheers,
Luke

Ian, If a hacksaw blade pulls to the left, I wonder if you could swipe the set on the left side with a diamond stone to straighten it up like you might a wood saw?
I guess the teeth are just punched and impulse hardened.
I've also pondered swapping the handle on a hacksaw with a nicely formed wooden replacement.
Most seem to a have tightening arrangement that is integral to the handle which complicates matters.

Originally Posted by hiroller

Ian, If a hacksaw blade pulls to the left, I wonder if you could swipe the set on the left side with a diamond stone to straighten it up like you might a wood saw?
I guess the teeth are just punched and impulse hardened.
I've also pondered swapping the handle on a hacksaw with a nicely formed wooden replacement.
Most seem to a have tightening arrangement that is integral to the handle which complicates matters.

Gavin, I did try correcting a blade as you suggest, once, but I ended up making it worse than it was before I fiddled with it, which rather put me off trying again! I know it's being a bit defeatist, but blades are relatively cheap, & it's easier to just bin the really bad ones & break out a new blade.

Some blades are hardened only to a bit past the depth of the tooth, but many (most?) are hard across the whole blade. I always grab any discarded power hacksaw blades I come across, because they make very handy scrapers & small plane blades, etc., and occasionally I've struck blades that are soft enough to file along the upper part, which is is disappointing because it makes them useless for my purposes. The blade in the mini plane I made a few days ago is a re-purposed piece of power hacksaw blade. I cut them with a metal-cutting disc, clamping the wanted part between a couple of bits of steel, which keeps them cool. Worst part is flattening the face - they are covered in tiny pits from the manufacturing process (is that why they slather them with paint??), and being so hard, it takes forever to lap these out, even on a coarse diamond.

No idea how the teeth are formed, but punching, as you suggest, seems logical, & goes some way to explaining the variability I encounter....

Never thought of tarting up a hacksaw, I must confess. Partly because I only do metal work in short bursts interspersed by long intervals, & partly though laziness. The most common thought going through my head when using a hacksaw is "there has to be a better way". Of course there are several better ways, but most of them involve lashing out on gear that I can't really justify (or fit!) in my small shed. I think it was RayG who introduced me to the 1mm cutoff wheels, & they are truly a godsend, but there are still times when I have to break out the hacksaw. Fortunately, such times are becoming more & more infrequent, so I guess inertia rules. I'll probably just go on grumbling to myself & put up with their inadequacies.....

Cheers,

Cheers,