Piercing saw blade advice wanted.

[Steve CrowParticipant @stevecrow46066]

[Steve CrowParticipant @stevecrow46066]

Can someone help me choose the right grade of piercing saw blades?

I have a fair bit of sawing to do in 1/8" brass sheet (CZ120), also 2mm, 1.5mm, 1mm and 0.8mm.

I am running short on blades and they are all mixed up anyway so I don't know which grade is which. I just look at the teeth and guess.

I want to start from scratch and get a whole new selection suitable for the various thicknesses.

I've looked on the net for guidance but not found anything useful. I'm sure that a few members of this forum have experience cutting out clock plates etc.and will be able to speak from experience.

Any metric online resource would be welcome as well,

I have had good experience with Super Pike blades in the past and they are quite reasonable from Cousin's but if anyone has other recommendations, please let me know.

Cheers

Steve

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

No particular advice but table of *** Piercing Saw Blade Sizes *** here

John

[Steve CrowParticipant @stevecrow46066]

Posted by Journeyman on 02/02/2023 17:49:20:

No particular advice but table of *** Piercing Saw Blade Sizes *** here

John

Thank you John, but I've seen this and many like it

Most tables deal with thou, gauges and drill numbers. I know I can translate but I'd like to see a nice metric version!

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

This is metric from Cookson Gold *** Metric Piercing Saw Blade Sizes ***

John

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Any good

John beat me to it

Edited By JasonB on 02/02/2023 18:26:37

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

If the mixture is solely of teeth pitch you may be able to sort them by using known screws as gauges. The mis-matched profiles would not matter very much as you are only using the screw as a sort of rule.

A magnifying-glass may help.

[Steve CrowParticipant @stevecrow46066]

Posted by Journeyman on 02/02/2023 18:21:44:

This is metric from Cookson Gold *** Metric Piercing Saw Blade Sizes ***

John

Thanks, I've seen this as well. Problem is, the material thickness only goes up to 1.3mm. I'm looking at up to 3.2mm.

Really, I would like to here some first hand experience as all the tables seem a bit vague when it comes to thicker material.

[Dave SParticipant @daves59043]

Cookson do a good selection. I have a Super Pike selection set I bought from them. This one

I generally use the Vallorbe 8/0 for most of my other stuff (watch dials and hands) and the platinum king ones for steel – usually 2/0 for the thicknesses I’m cutting.

Dave 

Edited By Dave S on 02/02/2023 18:54:04

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Steve,

I've always used the "three teeth cutting" rule of thumb where possible, whilst also trying to keep the tooth count reasonably low (to allow waste material to clear). So personally I would use a finer blade than Cooksons recommend for 1.3mm (they state a G4 – 15t/cm) but a G4 would be good for 3.2mm.

I used Cousins 'house' blades for many years but the price difference between economy blades and 'brand' ones for the quantity I use (e.g. break) isn't worth scrimping on. So I use the Vallorbe 'Super Pike' these days – which cut very well. Rather than buy a blade 'selection' – to start out I'd just get a G 4 and a G 3/0 – should do for most of the work you mention. You are going to break a few blades to begin with, so don't sweat on the different blade sizes too much.

Regards,

 

IanT

PS I'm not a Watchmaker btw – just my opinion

Edited By IanT on 02/02/2023 18:59:17

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

This might help, Steve : **LINK**

https://watchmaking.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/7/9/1179986/vallorbe_saw_frame.pdf

… and I would also recommend that you have a browse around his site.

In brief summary:

1. Vallorbe is as excellent for saws as it is for files
2. You need a blade pitch which puts at least three teeth within the thickness of your material
3. For thick material, blades with big gullets [skip tooth] can be useful, because they stay clean.

I presume you know all the other stuff.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ Crossed with Ian’s post … but thankfully we don’t appear to disagree.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/02/2023 18:56:59

[IanTParticipant @iant]

I'm not quailfied enough to disagree with you Michael!

IanT

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

If what Cookson's site says is true that grade 4 is the coarsest then you are not going to find any blades with coarser tooth spacing so will have to make do

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 02/02/2023 19:33:35:
.

If what Cookson's site says is true that grade 4 is the coarsest …

.

For a little word … IF is quite big

MichaelG.

.

Ref. __

This might help, Steve : **LINK**

https://watchmaking.weebly.com/uploads/1/1/7/9/1179986/vallorbe_saw_frame.pdf

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

.

PostScript

Skip Tooth blades such as these should fit most piercing saws: **LINK**

Skip Tooth Blades 5″ long

MichaelG.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Though on their own site they only seem to now list upto No5

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JasonB on 02/02/2023 20:03:07:

Though on their own site they only seem to now list upto No5

.

I think folk call that “progress” or something

MichaelG.

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

I use a scrollsaw mainly for wood and I use Pegas blades from Axminster tools (I find them pretty good) try checking them out to see if any are suitable for what you want to cut. There are 61 listed on their site

For cutting up to 3mm

Edited By Dalboy on 02/02/2023 20:23:09

Edited By Dalboy on 02/02/2023 20:28:11

[IanTParticipant @iant]

I've only ever used Cousins (and have been very happy with their service too)

They list up to No 8 "cut" (11t / cm) in Vallorbe 'Super Pike'.

Vallorbe "Super Pike" Saw Blades (cousinsuk.com)

Regards,

IanT

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

< phew ! >

Thanks for that confirmation, Ian

MichaelG.

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Is this American chart any help?

Pepe chart

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

That Pepe chart is the best I've seen esp with the 3 tooth listing and the rest of the info is good as well.

[Steve CrowParticipant @stevecrow46066]

Thank you, that Pepe chart serves my purpose.

[jaCK HobsonParticipant @jackhobson50760]

Like Dave S, I suggest 2/0. I buy a gross at a time. I will even use em on 5mm steel. Get good ones, but even they don't last long in 5mm steel so don't worry about snapping them regularly.

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