Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

alllllllright, wait a dang sec. Using oil with a hacksaw?

1,241 views
Skip to first unread message

Thomas G. Marshall

unread,
Dec 19, 2009, 7:35:48 PM12/19/09
to

A friend of mine insists that you should use [any] oil (he uses olive
oil) when using a hacksaw. He says that it keeps the blade from
wearing out but does not impede the cutting.

I just can't quite understand this. I understand that the blade's job
is to have the teeth bite (and not wear through the item via friction
heat) but it just seems to me that oil will make it nearly impossible
for the teeth to grab hold of the item.

Can anyone shed light on this?

mjmwa...@gmail.com

unread,
Dec 19, 2009, 8:46:51 PM12/19/09
to

> Can anyone shed light on this?

I've used WD-40. Cools the blade, cuts faster.

MJ

Doug Miller

unread,
Dec 19, 2009, 9:02:34 PM12/19/09
to

Hacksaw teeth will bite into metal just fine even if the cut is saturated with
oil. The purpose of the oil is to keep from wearing the teeth out, and to
reduce friction so that the blade doesn't heat up so much it loses its temper
(toughness and hardness).

Try it sometime on a piece of scrap steel, say about 1/8" thick. Make one cut
without oiling the blade, then another cut with oil on the blade. You'll find
that with oil, it cuts faster and smoother with less pressure, less noice, and
less heat.
>

Peter Huebner

unread,
Dec 19, 2009, 9:04:31 PM12/19/09
to
In article <b182bf3c-ebeb-431e-b4c1-
a346e4...@d10g2000yqh.googlegroups.com>, tgmf...@gmail.com says...


I don't use oil, I use something called 'cutting fluid' as sold by
engineering supplies. Sure makes the drillpress bite better in
hard/slick metals, I'm not going to give page-long testimonials for the
efficacy with a hacksaw, but it seems to help. It also acts as a coolant
for the cutting edge.

It does contain some light oil, not sure what else, I haven't looked at
the blurb for a couple of decades. Also heard of people using kerosene
for the purpose.

-P.

Lee Michaels

unread,
Dec 19, 2009, 9:35:13 PM12/19/09
to

"Doug Miller" wrote

> You'll find
> that with oil, it cuts faster and smoother with less pressure, less noice,
> and
> less heat.
>>

Sounds like a good, all purpose definition of lubrication.

David Nebenzahl

unread,
Dec 19, 2009, 9:40:38 PM12/19/09
to
On 12/19/2009 4:35 PM Thomas G. Marshall spake thus:

Well, by your reasoning, no cutting tool--drill bit, milling cutter,
broach--should cut if immersed in oil. But they all are when used in
industrial cutting machines, so I guess the oil is good for the tool and
good for the cutting operation.

For one thing, it helps flush chips away, as well as cooling things down.


--
I am a Canadian who was born and raised in The Netherlands. I live on
Planet Earth on a spot of land called Canada. We have noisy neighbours.

- harvested from Usenet

Lew Hodgett

unread,
Dec 19, 2009, 9:53:02 PM12/19/09
to
Thomas G. Marshall wrote:

> A friend of mine insists that you should use [any] oil (he uses
> olive
> oil) when using a hacksaw. He says that it keeps the blade from
> wearing out but does not impede the cutting.
>
> I just can't quite understand this. I understand that the blade's
> job
> is to have the teeth bite (and not wear through the item via
> friction
> heat) but it just seems to me that oil will make it nearly
> impossible
> for the teeth to grab hold of the item.

----------------------------------------------
"oil" provides a means of carrying away heat and "sloth" from the
teeth of the blade.

Check out "cutting fluid", "cutting oil", etc.

Makes cutting metal a whole lot easier.

Lew


J. Clarke

unread,
Dec 19, 2009, 10:29:05 PM12/19/09
to
David Nebenzahl wrote:
> On 12/19/2009 4:35 PM Thomas G. Marshall spake thus:
>
>> A friend of mine insists that you should use [any] oil (he uses olive
>> oil) when using a hacksaw. He says that it keeps the blade from
>> wearing out but does not impede the cutting.
>>
>> I just can't quite understand this. I understand that the blade's
>> job is to have the teeth bite (and not wear through the item via
>> friction heat) but it just seems to me that oil will make it nearly
>> impossible for the teeth to grab hold of the item.
>
> Well, by your reasoning, no cutting tool--drill bit, milling cutter,
> broach--should cut if immersed in oil. But they all are when used in
> industrial cutting machines, so I guess the oil is good for the tool
> and good for the cutting operation.
>
> For one thing, it helps flush chips away, as well as cooling things
> down.

A cutting edge is basically a wedge--the lubricant keeps the pieces it's
wedging into from seizing to it and lets them slide more freely against it,
not to mention the cooling effect, which is important with metals.

Larry Jaques

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 1:18:24 AM12/20/09
to
On Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:35:48 -0800 (PST), the infamous "Thomas G.
Marshall" <tgmf...@gmail.com> scrawled the following:

Oil with a hacksaw? Where's he trying to PUT it? <gasp!>

--
This episode raises disturbing questions about scientific standards,
at least in highly political areas such as global warming. Still,
it's remarkable to see how quickly corrective information can now
spread. After years of ignored freedom-of-information requests and
stonewalling, all it took was disclosure to change the debate. Even
the most influential scientists must prove their case in the court
of public opinion�a court that, thanks to the Web, is one where
eventually all views get a hearing. --Gordon Crovitz, WSJ 12/9/09

Larry Jaques

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 10:45:06 AM12/20/09
to
On Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:46:51 -0800 (PST), the infamous
"mjmwa...@gmail.com" <mjmwa...@gmail.com> scrawled the following:

>
>> Can anyone shed light on this?
>
>I've used WD-40. Cools the blade, cuts faster.

Smokes, does it? Do you feed your arm Viagra before cutting?

HINT: If you use a sharp blade to start, it won't get very hot in the
first place.

Unfortunately, I went 54 years before learning that simple lesson.

Larry Jaques

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 10:49:47 AM12/20/09
to
On Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:29:05 -0500, the infamous "J. Clarke"
<jclarke...@cox.net> scrawled the following:

C'mon, guys. Cutting speed with a hacksaw is too slow to require
coolant.

Leon

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 11:01:33 AM12/20/09
to

"Thomas G. Marshall" <tgmf...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:b182bf3c-ebeb-431e...@d10g2000yqh.googlegroups.com...


IMHO the lube is going to cut down on friction between the side of the blade
and the material being cut. When first starting the cut you probably will
not notice any appreciable difference when using a lubricant.

Will the lube keep the blade sharp? No, probably not but it will probably
aid in keeping the teeth clean and that will in turn give the effect of the
blade staying sharp longer.


Bob La Londe

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 11:32:02 AM12/20/09
to
"Peter Huebner" <no....@this.address> wrote in message
news:MPG.25984d5bc...@news.individual.net...

> It does contain some light oil, not sure what else, I haven't looked at
> the blurb for a couple of decades. Also heard of people using kerosene
> for the purpose.

My dad taught me to use kerosene to rinse glass cutters and lubricate and
clean the surface when cutting glass. We cut a lot of glass in our hardware
store during the many years we had it open.

RonB

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 11:34:43 AM12/20/09
to

You are machining the metal. A lot of metalworking machines spray oil
or an oil/water mixture onto the cutting tool during machining.
Oiling the blade is a simplified version of that with the hacksaw.

With that said, I'll admit I seldom use oil unless I am cutting a very
large or thick piece of stock. Then it does seem to speed up and
smoot the process.

RonB

Zz Yzx

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 11:41:20 AM12/20/09
to
>A friend of mine insists that you should use [any] oil (he uses olive
>oil) when using a hacksaw. He says that it keeps the blade from
>wearing out but does not impede the cutting.

Same principle as using wet sandpaper. It carries the "swarf" off and
keeps the gullets open.

-Zz

krw

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 12:40:59 PM12/20/09
to
On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:49:47 -0800, Larry Jaques
<novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:

>On Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:29:05 -0500, the infamous "J. Clarke"
><jclarke...@cox.net> scrawled the following:
>
>>David Nebenzahl wrote:
>>> On 12/19/2009 4:35 PM Thomas G. Marshall spake thus:
>>>
>>>> A friend of mine insists that you should use [any] oil (he uses olive
>>>> oil) when using a hacksaw. He says that it keeps the blade from
>>>> wearing out but does not impede the cutting.
>>>>
>>>> I just can't quite understand this. I understand that the blade's
>>>> job is to have the teeth bite (and not wear through the item via
>>>> friction heat) but it just seems to me that oil will make it nearly
>>>> impossible for the teeth to grab hold of the item.
>>>
>>> Well, by your reasoning, no cutting tool--drill bit, milling cutter,
>>> broach--should cut if immersed in oil. But they all are when used in
>>> industrial cutting machines, so I guess the oil is good for the tool
>>> and good for the cutting operation.
>>>
>>> For one thing, it helps flush chips away, as well as cooling things
>>> down.
>>
>>A cutting edge is basically a wedge--the lubricant keeps the pieces it's
>>wedging into from seizing to it and lets them slide more freely against it,
>>not to mention the cooling effect, which is important with metals.
>
>C'mon, guys. Cutting speed with a hacksaw is too slow to require
>coolant.

Ever touch one just after a cut?

LdB

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 1:37:01 PM12/20/09
to


Metal cutting tools such as lathes, bandsaws etc. have cutting fluid
circulating systems. Metalworking, woodworking, two separate worlds.

Ldb

J. Clarke

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 2:42:45 PM12/20/09
to

Wood cutting benefits from oil too. The trouble is that the oil soaks into
the wood and can't be cleaned off, so there's a downside that outweighs the
benefits.

FWIW, Bosch used to sell a blade oiler for their jigsaws, intended for metal
cutting.


Hoosierpopi

unread,
Dec 20, 2009, 4:21:37 PM12/20/09
to
On Dec 19, 7:35 pm, "Thomas G. Marshall" <tgmfo...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Can anyone shed light on this?

Light? You want Light and Oil?

I use both when cutting and drilling and they make the work go better
and the cut straight(er).

Try it, you'll like it.

Thomas G. Marshall

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 3:06:55 AM12/21/09
to
On Dec 20, 12:40 pm, krw <k...@att.bizzzzzzzzzzz> wrote:
> On Sun, 20 Dec 2009 07:49:47 -0800, Larry Jaques
>
>
>
> <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote:
> >On Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:29:05 -0500, the infamous "J. Clarke"
> ><jclarke.use...@cox.net> scrawled the following:

>
> >>David Nebenzahl wrote:
> >>> On 12/19/2009 4:35 PM Thomas G. Marshall spake thus:
>
> >>>> A friend of mine insists that you should use [any] oil (he uses olive
> >>>> oil) when using a hacksaw.  He says that it keeps the blade from
> >>>> wearing out but does not impede the cutting.
>
> >>>> I just can't quite understand this.  I understand that the blade's
> >>>> job is to have the teeth bite (and not wear through the item via
> >>>> friction heat) but it just seems to me that oil will make it nearly
> >>>> impossible for the teeth to grab hold of the item.
>
> >>> Well, by your reasoning, no cutting tool--drill bit, milling cutter,
> >>> broach--should cut if immersed in oil. But they all are when used in
> >>> industrial cutting machines, so I guess the oil is good for the tool
> >>> and good for the cutting operation.
>
> >>> For one thing, it helps flush chips away, as well as cooling things
> >>> down.
>
> >>A cutting edge is basically a wedge--the lubricant keeps the pieces it's
> >>wedging into from seizing to it and lets them slide more freely against it,
> >>not to mention the cooling effect, which is important with metals.
>
> >C'mon, guys. Cutting speed with a hacksaw is too slow to require
> >coolant.
>
> Ever touch one just after a cut?

Because something is hot to touch does not make it too hot for the
metal. We as humans have a very limited range of comfortable
temperatures. A metal hacksaw can go quite a bit farther without
damage.

phorbin

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 7:53:47 AM12/21/09
to
In article <e9d8aaa3-b2fa-41f7-9514-
8b8d4a...@c34g2000yqn.googlegroups.com>, tgmf...@gmail.com says...


> Because something is hot to touch does not make it too hot for the
> metal. We as humans have a very limited range of comfortable
> temperatures. A metal hacksaw can go quite a bit farther without
> damage.

I've had them 'blue' and be hot enough to burn wood when I set them
down.

Thomas G. Marshall

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 8:44:03 AM12/21/09
to
On Dec 21, 7:53 am, phorbin <phorb...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> In article <e9d8aaa3-b2fa-41f7-9514-
> 8b8d4ab81...@c34g2000yqn.googlegroups.com>, tgmfo...@gmail.com says...

>
> > Because something is hot to touch does not make it too hot for the
> > metal.  We as humans have a very limited range of comfortable
> > temperatures.  A metal hacksaw can go quite a bit farther without
> > damage.
>
> I've had them 'blue' and be hot enough to burn wood when I set them
> down.

Same answer. The thermal tolerance of wood is in no way related to
the that of steel.

Larry Jaques

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 8:49:19 AM12/21/09
to
On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 07:53:47 -0500, the infamous phorbin
<phor...@yahoo.com> scrawled the following:

If you can blue a manual hacksaw by hand, you're our hero. More often,
good blades have enough set to keep from binding in the cut and cool
considerably during the stroke and the backstroke. Since I started
using Starrett blades (the only Starrett thangs I can afford) I
haven't noticed a blade hot enough to burn me after cutting angle
iron. The stock itself is a heatsink, ferchrissake.

So, I still say "Put a new, sharp blade on that damned thing,
phorbin."

--------------------------------------------
-- I'm in touch with my Inner Curmudgeon. --
============================================

Swingman

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 11:20:27 AM12/21/09
to
Larry Jaques wrote:

> So, I still say "Put a new, sharp blade on that damned thing,
> phorbin."

Come now, C-less ... that's not the point!

A 'caviler in the usenet wild' MUST take exception to ANY minute detail
not specifically in lock step with a Google/Wikipedia source so that you
can be publicly corrected whilst showcasing said caviler's 'superior
than thou', hard won, Google expertise/knowledge.

You may also want to make a note of that other noted 'caviler in the
wild' characteristic: never showing photographic evidence of anything
personally accomplished.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Father Haskell

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 11:34:20 AM12/21/09
to
On Dec 19, 7:35 pm, "Thomas G. Marshall" <tgmfo...@gmail.com> wrote:

Waxing the blade works, too. Doesn't make as
much mess. Candles or sticks of canning wax
won't leak all over your toolbox.

Thomas G. Marshall

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 3:41:42 PM12/21/09
to
On Dec 21, 11:20 am, Swingman <k...@nospam.com> wrote:
> Larry Jaques wrote:
> > So, I still say "Put a new, sharp blade on that damned thing,
> > phorbin."
>
> Come now, C-less ... that's not the point!
>
> A 'caviler in the usenet wild' MUST take exception to ANY minute detail
> not specifically in lock step with a Google/Wikipedia source so that you
> can be publicly corrected whilst showcasing said caviler's 'superior
> than thou', hard won, Google expertise/knowledge.
>
> You may also want to make a note of that other noted 'caviler in the
> wild' characteristic: never showing photographic evidence of anything
> personally accomplished.

....................................yeah! What he said.

cl...@snyder.on.ca

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 4:13:31 PM12/21/09
to

But "blue" is temper colopur. If you get steel hot enough to "blue"
you have affected hardness/temper and damaged the blade. Absolutely
NOTHING wrong with using coolant/lubricant on a hack-saw - and if you
are attempting to cut aluminum it is a EXCELLENT idea as it keeps the
teeth from "loading up"

Larry Jaques

unread,
Dec 21, 2009, 8:05:36 PM12/21/09
to
On Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:20:27 -0600, the infamous Swingman
<k...@nospam.com> scrawled the following:

>Larry Jaques wrote:
>
>> So, I still say "Put a new, sharp blade on that damned thing,
>> phorbin."
>
>Come now, C-less ... that's not the point!

Erm, OK.


>A 'caviler in the usenet wild' MUST take exception to ANY minute detail
>not specifically in lock step with a Google/Wikipedia source so that you
>can be publicly corrected whilst showcasing said caviler's 'superior
>than thou', hard won, Google expertise/knowledge.
>
>You may also want to make a note of that other noted 'caviler in the
>wild' characteristic: never showing photographic evidence of anything
>personally accomplished.

Ah, got it. Oh, all this revelling (or is it reviling?) with those
pesky cavilers has me tired. G'night, Chet.

--
REMEMBER: The sooner you fall behind,
the more time you'll have to catch up!

phorbin

unread,
Dec 24, 2009, 4:47:42 PM12/24/09
to
In article <gIOdnQaBcLfaPbLW...@giganews.com>,
k...@nospam.com says...

> You may also want to make a note of that other noted 'caviler in the
> wild' characteristic: never showing photographic evidence of anything
> personally accomplished.

I can't count the number of times I've not had a camera around to prove
that I've done something a bit unusual or stupid.

I'm sure the same applies to just about everyone.

Shrug...

You either believe me or you don't.

mac davis

unread,
Dec 29, 2009, 10:12:25 PM12/29/09
to
On Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:35:48 -0800 (PST), "Thomas G. Marshall"
<tgmf...@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>A friend of mine insists that you should use [any] oil (he uses olive
>oil) when using a hacksaw. He says that it keeps the blade from
>wearing out but does not impede the cutting.
>
>I just can't quite understand this. I understand that the blade's job
>is to have the teeth bite (and not wear through the item via friction
>heat) but it just seems to me that oil will make it nearly impossible
>for the teeth to grab hold of the item.
>
>Can anyone shed light on this?

My guess is that as in a power hacksaw, the oil would help carry chips/shavings
away from the blade and make a smoother cut with less chance of jamming?


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Robatoy

unread,
Dec 29, 2009, 11:41:07 PM12/29/09
to
On Dec 29, 10:12 pm, mac davis <m...@davisbajasplinters.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:35:48 -0800 (PST), "Thomas G. Marshall"
>

MAC!!!!! Happy New Year!

mac davis

unread,
Dec 30, 2009, 2:02:20 AM12/30/09
to
On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:41:07 -0800 (PST), Robatoy <counte...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>> My guess is that as in a power hacksaw, the oil would help carry chips/shavings
>> away from the blade and make a smoother cut with less chance of jamming?
>>
>> mac
>>

>MAC!!!!! Happy New Year!
Thank you, sir... back at ya...

Larry Jaques

unread,
Dec 30, 2009, 9:05:26 AM12/30/09
to
On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:12:25 -0800, the infamous mac davis
<m...@davisbajasplinters.com> scrawled the following:

In power hacksaws, speed is an issue and oil becomes a coolant as
well.

--
It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars.
-- Garrison Keillor

Maxwell Lol

unread,
Jan 2, 2010, 4:56:18 PM1/2/10
to
mac davis <m...@davisbajasplinters.com> writes:

> My guess is that as in a power hacksaw, the oil would help carry
> chips/shavings away from the blade and make a smoother cut with less
> chance of jamming?

I have a lubricant used for bandsaws. I got it from a woodworking
supply, but it's made for metal-cutting bandsaws.

jacky...@gmail.com

unread,
Nov 17, 2016, 8:41:04 PM11/17/16
to
They make POWER hacksaws?!?

Ed Pawlowski

unread,
Nov 17, 2016, 8:56:59 PM11/17/16
to
On 11/17/2016 8:41 PM, jacky...@gmail.com wrote:
> They make POWER hacksaws?!?
>

You want electric of pneumatic?

The one we have at work has a 14" blade. I've seen much larger though.
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/power-hacksaw

Martin Eastburn

unread,
Nov 17, 2016, 10:39:29 PM11/17/16
to
I have a 'blue max' - maybe different in spelling - hacksaw that
is a 4" 'tall and about 24" long. Thick. I was in the process of
making a wood saw - like a bow saw - from it - for really nasty wood.

I just got out my 1 man buck saw that cuts down a tree and used it.
It has a standard looking hand saw and a post for the far end if needed.

Martin
0 new messages