cutting up an old saw

[Carl P]

Hi all,

Just wondered if anyone has any words of wisdom as to the best way of chopping up an old hardpoint saw plate, for scrapers, but I may want some 10-20mm wide strips,

Thanks,

Cheerio,

Carl

 

[twothumbs]

Guys who make knives use saw blades. May be something somewhere on Google...possibly american. Best wishes.

 

[carlb40]

I just used a hacksaw

 

[Mr_P]

Some info here but its knife making

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/07/1 ... saw-blade/

Circular saw , knife again

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthrea ... lade-knife

Ulu knife, almost a scraper

http://catjuggling.com/making-an-ulu-kn ... saw-blade/

 

[Racers]

Hacksaw with a 32tpi blade.

Pete

 

[Peter Sefton]

My words of wisdom are don't cut your fingers or spend to long making them, I get scratch stock blades made for us in the tool shop as we use them all the time and personally can't be bothered with the effort of cutting up old saws.
Cheers Peter

 

[Cottonwood]

You could try using a pair of gilbow snips, one handle held firmly in a vice, the other doing the cutting
Or you could use a cutting wheel (the thin type not a grinding wheel) on a mini angle grinder
Or if you know someone with a metal guillotine (fabrication shop?) they could do it very fast and with straight edges

I get scratch stock blades made for us in the tool shop as we use them all the time and personally can't be bothered with the effort of cutting up old saws.
Cheers Peter

All very nice and convenient, but we dont all have dedicated workshops and assistants etc-but the op DOES have a spare saw and DID ask how to cut it up, to be sure :roll: Oh and he wanted to make scrapers, ot scratch stock blade's.

 

[KevM]

If you're up for a bit of experimentation and don't mind trying a bit of kitchen counter chemistry you could etch the saw plate with some wax and ferric chloride crystals. Coat the saw plate in wax (or use an etch resist lacquer), scratch away the etch resist with a scriber, etch away!

http://blog.lostartpress.com/2013/05/25 ... aw-plates/ gives an interesting historical perspective.

If you fancied a different approach electo-etching would achieve the same result with some lacquer, a DC supply with carbon electrodes, and some table salt.

I've never etched on this scale, only printed circuit boards and a couple of small plates, but there's plenty of resources and tutorials out there. Both techniques have some hazards, but nothing beyond a secondary school chemistry lab. You can get everything you need for the acid etch approach from Maplins or similar - look up PCB equipment. If you've got a simple car battery charger you've already got most of what you need for the electro-etching approach - just make sure you do it in a well ventilated area so that you safely disperse the evolved Hydrogen and Oxygen.

I've done it with tin snips but I'm not sure I'd recommend it - I looked like I'd been petting a crocodile by the time I'd finished and the edges were so horrible as to make the whole exercise pretty futile. I ended up buying some Bahco scrapers - cheap and cheerful but did the job for me. If you do take the etching route I'd be fascinated to see a WIP!

 

[Sheffield Tony]

+1 for 32 tpi hacksaw. Cobalt steel if available - Irwin ones work for me.

 

[Billy Flitch]

I´v used the cutting wheel just watch the heat. I found that with the Gilbows the edge of the metal can be forced down and then you have the problem of leveling it out. As cottonwood says it will also make good scratch stock.

 

[MMUK]

Guillotine

 

[Peter Sefton]

I have tried most of the ways as above tin snips that bend and twist the steel, small hand held grinders that over heat the steel and leave very sharp edges. In my experience both of the techniques mentioned then require a fair amount of filing if you haven't already cut your fingers on the ragged edges.
Sorry my last post may have been misleading I don't have a separate metal tool room or minions to do this kind of thing for me, but i am fortunate enough to have sheffield tool makers making small blades and other items made for me (Woodworkers workshop) because as a furniture maker I don't have the right kit (quality guillotine) to do it myself. I meant that I personally don't think it is worth the effort and expense of buying extra kit for making cabinet scrapers or scratch stocks when you can buy something off the shelf for less than a pound. I hope this is not seen as the big sell just my experience and I don't think these blades will make me a millionaire
Cheers Peter

 

[Sheffield Tony]

Here we go - a timely article.

http://www.wkfinetools.com/hUS-saws/z_r ... Plates.asp

Can't say it would be my method of choice ! It is really not that hard to cut the thicker, panel saw type ~0.8mm with a hacksaw. After all, this is a medium carbon spring steel, which is usually supplied and worked already heat treated.

 

[AndyT]

Interesting one Tony.

Hands up anyone who's managed to buy suitable oil of vitriol at their local chemist!

 

[KevM]

I've not tried Boots, but Ebay's got loads

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sulphuric-Aci ... 1e73dabde9

 

[Carl P]

Thanks for all the words of wisdom - I was hoping for someting easier than a hacksaw, but I don't have access to a guillotine and I hate to think what the kids would do with baths of acid, so I'll just have to grease up my elbows'

Cheerio,

Carl