Favorite Hacksaw?

I hate the cheap crapsaw I own. The blade rotates quite a bit when I cut so basically every cut comes out skew. Do you have a favorite brand? I'd like a quality hacksaw I can cut straight with.

 

You need not spend much money to get a great hacksaw frame that will last decades and will tension your blade properly. With a properly tensioned blade, you skills as a hacksawyer will immediately escalate! ;-)

There are several brands that use a similar strategy to this one. I love mine.

https://www.amazon.com/Hacksaw-Reci...e=UTF8&qid=1541302290&sr=1-8&keywords=hacksaw

Denis

 

Not helpful but an old boss of mine used to say to me 'Let the saw do the work' when I was flushed with youth and would attack the cut like a madman, the other would be 'who is going to use the rest of that blade' again attacking the job with just the middle third of the blade.

 

My cousin was in metalwork class madly attacking some steel angle with a hacksaw: The shop teacher stopped him and said "Lance...I swear I saw laser beams coming off your hacksaw blade!, slow down!".

I use a generic frame bought cheaply when I see them in either hot pink, fluoro yellow or dayglo orange that are obviously made in the same factory: they have a good tension mechanism under the handle and then fit them with good quality bimetal blades, the best I can afford. I still buy the cheap carbon blades but grind the teeth off and use them for scrapers when pattern making.

 

I have one similar to the one Denis linked above as well as a cheapy like Zapins is probably talking about. They hang together on the wall with different blades and I choose the one that fits the job. Rasper showed a home made version over on AA in a related thread a few years ago he swears by. I also had a similar experience as Peedee. It sounds like we had the same hacksaw teacher. Regardless of the saw, metal never cuts as quickly as I want it to! The better blades make a difference. Choosing the right threads per inch for the application makes a difference too.
I usually don't expect hacksaw cuts to be finishing cuts. I take the first half of the name seriously. But like any other cutting, work holding, posture and technique all play a part. I frequently change a parts position so I can make scoring cuts or guiding grooves for the blade to follow.

Pete

 

What the guys are trying to say is most any hacksaw will do the job with a good blade and a light touch, including lifting the blade on the return stroke. Simple tools like hammers and hacksaws require a lot more skill and practice than is immediately obvious.

 

I agree with all the comments about good BiMetal blades and proper technique and I would add cutting oil as important ingredients. Where a well-tensioned blade in a good frame will shine is when you do push the saw a bit. The tension on the blade prevents it from flexing and “bunching up” in the cut and therefore binding. The well tensioned blade also maintains its direction of cut better as it does not roll from one angle to another with varying pressure on the blade.

I have used crap frames and high tension frames. I have definitely found them not equally good.

Denis

 

I wasn't meaning to imply Zap was using it properly but those words have stuck with me for over 30 years and even though that old boss is long gone I'll never forget the lesson!

 

Oh I probably do use it improperly from time to time. But the thing that frustrates me about my cheapo hack saw is that the blade rotates about a 1/4" down the long axis of the blade. So it is never perpendicular to the work. It doesnt matter how carefully I cut because the blade will rotate and make the cut go off in some weird direction. Not usually the biggest of deals when you're cutting thin metal, but I want to cut fire brick accurately to repair my kiln and I need it to cut straight this time.

The blade is fastened to the frame on both ends by a hook attached to a squarish piece of rod which goes through a square hole on the frame, but the two square pieces aren't a tight fit so there is a lot of wobble and that causes the blade to rotate quite freely when cutting.

I think I got the hacksaw for a very low price from home depot and haven't used a good quality one before to know what to look for.

This is pretty similar to what I'm using.

 

Yup, same experience as you with that type of saw frame that I USED TO own. ;-)

Denis

 

Marvel is my favorite.
I think it will cut pretty straight.

http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/another-it-followed-me-home-thread.498/

 

This hacksaw has a box tube frame which is going to be a lot harder to twist and has a lever based tensioning mechanism that keeps the tension wingnut out of the way.

 

I hope I didn't come across as too critical. My experience with hacksaws is that for years I tried to use dull blades and tried to push too hard. I've never had a really good hacksaw frame, but the ones I have do very well with moderate pressure and a new blade. When the blade gets some wear it usually has some twist to it and it's really hard to get a straight cut. You also tend to lose the set off one side which promotes crooked cutting and binding. This is just my experience.

 

Here in Mexico we have what I have found to be the best hacksaws in the world, bar none. And they are cheap. Made from plain old mild steel bar stock. You can buy them everywhere.



No blade twisting. Ever. To change a blade I put it in my vise, bend it a little until I can pull out one of the pins, and put in a new blade. I will never have another hacksaw.

Richard

 

Heres my favorite hacksaw.. Manual labor is for suckers.

 

Ever done the knuckle thing where you finish a cut and your fist slams into the vice?

Jason, you're such a card! ;

 

I'm with Jason on this one!

 

That is my kind of hacksaw !

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