Due to a lack of a pipe union and a quest pipe fitting I didn't dare tamper with because I don't have the tool to fix it. I found myself cutting 1" galvanized pipe with a hacksaw this morning. While watching the saw go back and forth I pondered the following question.
Is there an official direction that the teeth of the blade be oriented? As in towards the handle or away from it. If so... Why? Personally, I've never really paid attention to which way I put them on.
Devonshire
I would suggest with the teeth pointing down and forward. Not only does it cut better that way (for most jobs), but to do otherwise risks a visit from the Hacksaw Blade Police. Nasty folks.
John Martin
"Devonshire" wrote: (clip) If so... Why? Personally, I've never really paid attention to which way I put them on. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If the teeth are pointed away from your hand, the cutting stroke pushes them into the work, so they cut well, and you don't have top stiffen your wrist. The only blades I know that cut on the pull stroke are the very thin wood-cutting blades in Japanese saws. They are so thin that they would buckle if you tried to make one cut on the push. Hacksaw blades work best at very high tension, so buckling can't happen.
You don't pay attention to the direction? Does this mean you slide the saw back and forth with equal energy in both directions? John M is right. The Hacksaw Blade Police will come. However, if it's your first offense, they will probably send you to Sawyer's Education, and let you off without a fine.
Watch out for the Metal File Police as well.
Fine blades such as used in a jewelers saw cut on the pull stroke Gerry :-)} London, Canada
Had to do a citizens file arrest a couple of weeks ago... wasn't pretty either, a for real bona fide file felony.
The 'operator' was running said file back and forth as if it were a sanding block. Makes me cringe...
Erik
It is truly amazing how many so called tradesmen beaver away with a hacksaw without regard to the pressure on the back stroke. Not only does it ruin the blade in short order but the energy input is half wasted,
Sigh. Ken.
On the day of Tue, 28 Mar 2006 01:42:24 GMT... "Leo Lichtman" typed these letters:
For most applications forward cutting makes sense. I could use my weight as an advantage when cutting in a forward direction. To avoid confrotation with the dreaded hacksaw police I will in the future install my hacksaw blades with the teeth pointed away from me. If I run into a rare occasion where the blade needs to go the other way, I'll wait till 2am, turn the lights off, and play loud music so the hacksaw police are less likely to figure out what I'm doing.
Speaking of the file police... They need to investigate the place I used to work. They had a horozontal band saw that everytime I went to use it the blade only had one tooth left on it. I'm almost certain this was due to night time employees trying to cut files with it.
Devonshire
On the day of Mon, 27 Mar 2006 23:17:52 -0500... Gerald Miller typed these letters:
The cutting direction varies on electric reciprocating saws too. In a scroll saw I would install the blade so that it cuts on the downward stroke which helps hold the material being cut to the table. A Jig saw cuts on the up stroke to help hold the saw to the material being cut. With a hand saw the matrial being cut is held independent of the saw. I think the direction of the cut is mostly personal preference and a particual cutting direction may be advantagous in specific situations.
Devonshire
On the day of Tue, 28 Mar 2006 04:43:57 GMT... Erik typed these letters:
I've seen it done. Probably guilty of it a time or two myself. Normally when I file something I lock it in a vice and only do forward strokes. I have used files in tight situations where the back stroke was unavoidable. But, don't tell the file police.
Devonshire
On the day of Mon, 27 Mar 2006 22:57:38 -0800... "Ken Davey" typed these letters:
I had not thought of wearing the blade by pressure on the back stroke.
In my case, regardless of what direction the blade is installed I put more emphasis into the direction that it is cutting. However, when using an elecric recipocating saw I've never let off on the back stroke. Perhaps this causes recipocating saw blades to wear out faster than a band saw. Then again, band saw blades have a lot more teeth to wear out than a scroll saw blade. I don't know.
Devonshire
On the day of Tue, 28 Mar 2006 12:16:55 GMT... "Karl Vorwerk" typed these letters:
I considered using my side grinder and a cutoff wheel. But, since I couldn't see how much water was left in the pipe I decided against it.
Devonshire
Goes for files too, of course.
If you look at the way the blade is shaped, you'll see that it's doing that for you. Sawzall blades, at least the ones I use, have a forward angle to the cutting surface.
"Devonshire" wrote: (clip) They had a horozontal band saw that everytime I went to use it the blade only had one tooth left on it. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ When you changed blades, you should have cut that part of the blade out and put it on your key ring. A single tooth that could survive on a band saw is a remarkable thing, and might be very useful in disaster survival.
BTW, using a single tooth on an unmounted band saw blade, I would make it cut on the PULL. TIC
In my experience more than you want. Karl
According to Leo Lichtman :
The same for coping saw blades. The frame is usually springy enough so it does not give sufficient support for push cutting.
Come to think of it -- it has been a while since I remember seeing a coping saw in the hardware stores. Are they still sold?
Enjoy, DoN.
I have one that was old when it was given to me 60+ years ago - 1/4" rod bent to shape, slotted to hold the loop end blade in one of two positions. Nowadays they are much deeper and made of tubular steel with screw clamps to hold plane end blades or jewelers blades. Gerry :-)} London, Canada
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