I recently had to hand-cut a large quantity of big jump rings from
14ga bronze wire. The saw blades I have here are a no-brand mixed
size package that I bought from a tool dealer at a local gem and
mineral show. After cutting through only 3 or 4 rings, the teeth
would be completely worn off of the blades, requiring a blade change.
I obviously need better saw blades.
What’s your favorite brand of saw blades, and will they hold up to
14ga bronze wire? 
Kathy Johnson
featheredgems.com
I like the Rio Grande Lazer Gold. I have some Hercules blades but I
don’t like them very much and keep them as emergency reserve.
Hi Kathy,
Oddly, sawblades are a subject near to my head at the moment. (In my
other identity, I’m one of the loons who makes the Knew Concepts
saws. We go through a lot of blades.)
Outside of China, there are only two sawblade manufacturers left.
Grobet (Vallorbe) in Switzerland, and Niqua, in Germany. All of the
’normal’ sawblade brands are made by one or the other of them. I
can’t remember which is who, but they’re all manufactured almost
identically. (Herkules is Niqua, Pegas is Grobet, and I can’t
remember the rest.)
The main differences between them are the heat treating. Some brands
are tempered harder than others.
Personally, I’ve had good luck with Rio’s Laser blades, Otto Frei’s
house brand (Grobet), as well as Herkules. Get a selection, and play
with them to see which you like most.
For whatever any of that was worth.
Brian
Kathy
Try Hercules or any other common kind of saw blades. “Cheaper, may
not always be better!” buyer beware!
Try Stuller or Rio Grande offices, they’ll guide you further for
names!!!
Gerry Lewy
A reinforced abrasive cut off wheel works fine 
Charles A.
Rio Grande Laser Gold. I have been using them for years. They stay
sharp for a very long time and seem to break less often than other
blades.
Regards
Milt
We have gotten good results from Dragger. brand…
Andy “The Tool Guy” Kroungold
How do you reinforce a cut off wheel?
Noralie Katsu
I found the Yellow Label Dagger Saw Blades to be the best for my
applications (I work with stainless and titanium primarily).
P@
Rio Grande Lazer Gold
Charles A.
Oh, please please tell me how do you reinforce your cutoff wheels?
I love to use them but the breakage is an issue as we all know!
Chris
A*F Gold Shark (Albert Froidevaux & Fils).
I saw a lot of tool steel. Have sawed a lot, consistently, since the
late 1980’s. In the U. S., the best ones for what I do are Pike
Platinum (from Otto Frei or Allcraft), WITHOUT QUESTION. This
doesn’t mean they are the best for every job, just that they cut the
festest andlast the longest, sawing tool steel. They don’t corner
the best, and they are harder than others, so they break a little
easier if not used with finesse. I may not ever use another brand. I
switched about 4 years ago, after using mostly Yellow Dagger
(probably the best value of the better blades), and also some
Lasers, regular Pike, Hercules, Antelope, Scies. but Platinums saw
circles around the rest.
Dar
Oh, please please tell me how do you reinforce your cutoff wheels?
You just buy them that way CIA
A*F Gold Shark (Albert Froidevaux & Fils).
Not sure it I can share this yet, so I’ll elude to it.
A brand of blades is bringing out an elite range soon.
Regards Charles A.
How do you reinforce a cut off wheel?
Noralie, What kind of a wheel are you talking about? Is this a
diamond coated steel one or a reinforced abrasive?
Woodworkers use large machined washers to reinforce and quiet a
vibrating blade. This helps a great deal, but I find that blades
vibrate for a reason. Either they are out of balance or there is
wear in the bearings or shaft.
Take the blade off the saw and place it on a surface that is dead
flat. If it rocks at all, the blade is warped and needs to be
replaced. (the old saw sharpeners could hammer them flat, but this
is mostly a lost art) If the blade is flat, check the shaft for
wear? visually check the shaft and make sure it is round and the
correct diameter. This will cause a good blade to appear out of
balance. Next, turn the machine on and see if the shaft vibrates
when there is no blade on it. Does the shaft rotate true?
I hope this helps.
Eric
Oh, please please tell me how do you reinforce your cutoff wheels?
I love to use them but the breakage is an issue as we all know!
Those wonderful abrasive cut off wheels are made of glass fiber(some
times carbon fiber) and resin imbedded with grit. They have few
problems with theones used in the steel industry where the metal
speed and direction of themetal to the blade are controlled. The
small ones we use in the flexible shaft hand pieces are the same
only much smaller in scale. Any side motion or slight twisting or
uneven feeding causes strain on the disk. The thickness of the disk
that makes them so useful, also makes them fragile. A thicker disk
would allow for more fiber reinforcement, but how much good
wouldthat be? Being aware of this and keeping your tools and work
steady while you use them will increase the life span, but the
nature of the hand helddevice makes it slip to the side and twist.
If you were only going to use the outer 4-6mm of the disk you might
try making a pair of brass washers and dapping them slightly so only
the outer edge of the washer is touching the wheel. put one on each
side of the wheel. This may help if you can find a mandrel that will
work with them
I have stacked several together if the size of the kerf is not an
issue or may be desired. I have also used small, thin metal washers
on each side of the disc or even a rubber washer. Regardless of what
you do, when the disc breaks it sends pieces of shrapnel all over. I
always wear a face shield and, when I am doing heavy polishing,
sanding, grinding, or cutting, use a mask. Part of the fun of what
we do for me is making or adapting my own tools to serve a new need.
Rob
Hi gang,
The reinforced ones are a bit thicker, and brown. They’ve got a
woven mesh of fiberglass inside the disk. (or rather, the abrasive
is formed around the fiberglass mesh.) Either way, you can see the
grid pattern of the mesh within the disk. The mesh keeps them from
blowing up every time you glance at them.
I used to get my large ones (for sprue chopping) from a local hobby
store. Apparently the railroaders use them. (2" disk.) About .040"
thick, but I was just chopping sprues, so I didn’t care.
There are smaller ones, for jewelry uses.
Otto Frei has some (but they’re black) (and expensive) (but then
again, so were the hobby store ones) They’re calling them “extra
strong separating disks” They’re normal sized. (7/8" OD)
Rio has the big fiberglass ones I remember, as
"fiberglass-reinforced"cut off wheels. at 1.5" OD, by .040" thick.
Also not nearly as cheap as the normal ones, but vastly less likely
to shatter. So it evens out.
FWIW,
Brian
Thank you, Rio Grande!
I’d like to thank whoever it was at Rio that sent me the 3/0 Laser
Gold saw blade samples after I asked for saw blade recommendations on
here recently. Your generosity is much appreciated!
Kathy Johnson
featheredgems.com