southpier

https://www.parktool.com/product/hacksaw-saw-1

anyone have an opinion? or do I just get the hardware store one for half the price? to me, the blue is almost as intoxicating as bianchi celeste!

DrIsotope

I would say "a hacksaw is a hacksaw," but a decent Klein or Lenox is ~$22, while the Park is $25... so if that particular shade of blue is worth 3 bucks to you, go for it.

Trevtassie

I'd say you're better off buying a decent one for the same money, because you know there will be a 30% Park Tool Blue tax on the Park one... then go scrounge a Park sticker from your LBS and stick it on your new saw...

wingless

That hacksaw looks very nice.

Another nice hacksaw is this Starrett K145.

My experience is that the lower cost / quality hacksaw tools do not hold the blade with the same rigidity.

So, if quality hacksaw work is required, then get a quality tool. If good enough is good enough, then shop by price.

southpier

oh, brother! the starrett saw is plenty nice. I have a feeling I could "only 2 dollars more" myself into oblivion...

but ended up ordering the lennox saw. the selling point was the ability to use it as a jab-saw: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a klein in the shop which works well, so the new one is for the van.

thanks for the inputs.

southpier

we need a "like" button!

fietsbob

Work in a bike shop? then your price is typically cost + 10%..

(I bought one that stores spare blades in it's frame)







...

tkamd73 

wingless

You convinced me too. I purchased the Lenox HT50 at the local big home improvement store, slightly less cost than Amazon and got it now.

The tool is very nice.

My attempt at fitting a standard reciprocating saw blade, as-shown on the manufacturer's images, were not successful so I went to the manufacturer's web site. In the User Reviews section, I found another user was also unable to get that blade to fit as-shown. Right now there doesn't appear to be any way to secure the reciprocating saw blade into the opening.

Another issue identified in the User Reviews section was that there were other users who had broken the retention mechanism, from over tightening the knob. One user states that proper retention is when the knob is 12 turns tight from loose. An image is attached of the broken part, that fails when the mechanism is over tightened.

02Giant 

The Park price is slightly high for a high tension hack saw.

WizardOfBoz

All of the 20-25 hacksaws on ebay have user ratings of about 4.5. Pick the color you like.

The ones I like (Bahco 319 and 325) are more expensive (33 and 50 bucks) but I think they'd last longer.

Gresp15C

One thing I've noticed as an aside is that hacksaws work better and last longer if you lubricate the tension setting screw threads.

southpier

not much of a mechanic, but 48 years of woodworking taught me most tools are really "tool kits" and will require varying amounts of tuning before they work to satisfaction. so changing a screw or dabbing a ****** of grease isn't the death knell.

a hand plane quite often requires substantial flattening of the sole & truing the sides to 90 degrees of the sole, blade grinding & sharpening, and often removing the blistering factory applied finish to the handle which the marketing department insisted to ensure display rack appeal.

life: it's a process.

marcw

You were thinking of getting the park hacksaw and then you bought the lenox and tried out the reciprocating blade. What where you cutting on a bike that needs a reciprocating blade? :-)

Anyway, my option is to get a very good hardware store hacksaw. Hacksaws are a basic garage kit. It will last for years, just make sure you use good blades and the blades attach firmly to the saw. My Stanley is 20 years old and work great. I see no reason for the reciprocating saw feature. But you should buy a real reciprocating saw for the home.

wingless

Not me, the OP.

The Lenox HT50 is specified to include a jab saw feature when using a reciprocating blade.

As of this time I am unable to get that feature to work as-shown by Lenox.

You may be aware that a hacksaw is part of a basic garage kit, not used exclusively on a bike,

Thanks, but I already have an excellent Milwaukee Super Sawzall. It is an excellent high-power electric reciprocating tool.

There are many instances where I need / use one of my keyhole or jab saws. All of them have a pistol grip. I would like to have the jab saw working properly on this tool to enable the two-hand grip.

Iride01 

I'd be happy with a five dollar hacksaw frame. The three frames I have look similar to this. Two were my Dad's so they are as old or older than me. The third I bought in the mid 90's. I don't use a hacksaw daily, weekly or even monthly, their use comes in spurts. So the few times I need one it doesn't matter how well it fits my hand or how many cuts I can make before it falls apart.

The blade is what matters most anyway. Use the correct blade and tooth count for the material and it's thickness. Quality blade assortments are inexpensive.

If you are going to use it every day, then sure, go for comfy grip and extra durable frame.

WizardOfBoz

I have one, too, and they're good for demo work. A hand hacksaw might be a little better for precision cutting. Plus you don't have to get the SawzAll case out, find an extension cord, etc.

Many posts on this site ask about how to hide the purchase price of new bikes from, or get approval from "She Who Must Be Obeyed.". Tools are like this, too. When we had a leak under my kitchen sink, we needed to replace the Masonite under-sink shelf. My wife wanted this done, pronto, and I was dragging my heals.
"Gee, sweetie, to do that sink job easily, you need one of these Sawzall things, don't you?"
"Uhhh. Why yes. Yes, I believe I do".
The catch was that it was easy to drive to Lowes to get the Sawzall (and a scrap of linoleum flooring). Took several hours of work to get the waterlogged masonite out, to clean the thing up, and then to install new 3/4 plywood covered by linoleum. But the point is, I've got a really clever wife who saw a win-win. She got her home repair and I got an "unh unh - more power" tool.

In the machine shop, horizontal band saws have long since replaced reciprocating hacksaws for cut off work. So, if the OP really needs to cut massive steel (like 8" I beams and such), they should get a portable band saw:


https://images.homedepot-static.com/...20-64_1000.jpg

Iride01 

@WizardOfBoz oooooooo Powertools........ now your talking. Just like bikes, you need lots of them.

I wonder how heavy a bike with eight inch I-beams will be for top, seat and down tubes.... er... girders?

UniChris

Um, no.

Once you've used a proper hacksaw frame, those stamped absurdities go in the trash - it doesn't matter what blade you use, if the frame can't hold it right, and those cannot.

It probably doesn't matter which high-tension frame, but one with end pieces joined by a section of square tubing or with a body that has webs on it makes the difference between an object of frustration and a serious tool with which one can do real work.

A good hacksaw with an actual frame will cost $12-15. A stamped piece of garbage will cost $5.

And then yes, by all means, get some decent blades for specific jobs. But in a good frame, that lets them cut easily and straight.

UniChris

Band saws are slow and have limited capacity - that portable one would be an exercise in frustration for anything large. I used to have a 4x6" tilting one, and while I did saw through a 3.5-inch cast iron bar with it, it took the better part of an hour and didn't cut it remotely straight. I couldn't imagine trying to hold a portable one in position long enough to do that (also induction motors are much quieter than universal motors). In comparison, the serious cutoff bandsaw you'll find at a metals vendor or large machine shop is a huge piece of equipment, not just from the capacity but to keep the blade aligned - same issue as with flexy stamped hacksaw frames really, but magnified. Unless there's a definite need for the portable, the small tilting one is a better investment, and there are plenty of articles on improving them.

UniChris

Apparently the idea from the marketing materials is that you can mount a recip blade bayonet-like at the top of the far end of the frame.

But the screw used there is too large to fit the hole in the blades people are trying to use.

A little searching will show that the body of the screw on a sawzall doesn't actually go through the hole - only a divot or pilot on the end does. Maybe the screw lacks that. If you can figure out the screw size perhaps you can get another one and file it to fit, though in mild steel it may not last.

Or maybe it needs a special blade.

Or maybe this was just an idea from the marketing department with little actual utility.

wingless

Yes, that it correct.

The knob screw is used to close the 5-blade-maximum storage cavity AND to secure the reciprocating blade to use as a jab saw.

The screw diameter is large and the reciprocating saw blade hole is small.

Correct, the Sawzall has a saddle that encloses the reciprocating saw blade to secure / strengthen the blade. It includes a pin feature for the blade hole.

It looks like a part like that saddle is required. The width of the blade is narrow and the opening is wide. Even if the screw retained the blade, because of these width differences the blade would be arcing up and down during usage, pivoting on the screw. The blade should NOT swing up and down during usage.

One of the images in my reply shows the Lenox reciprocating saw blade. An observation shows the Lenox blade and the Milwaukee reciprocating blades have identical ends.

The Lenox Customer Service department will be contacted during business hours to determine why this is a problem. The information gleaned from that conversation will be posted.

UniChris

The point was that the lenox blade for a powered reciprocating saw may not be what is needed for hand jab-saw use on this.

But personally I'm going with bad idea from the marketing department, possibly in the "worked on an earlier generation of the frame but no one used it so it got dropped in a design change" variation.

wingless

The tool I like to use for powerful / controlled / fast cutoff, smoothing or shaping of steel / stainless / aluminum / masonry / porcelain / ceramic / marble / granite is my DeWalt DWE4214 Small Angle 4½" Grinder.

This is an excellent tool that has fast / amazing results when used w/ the appropriate discs / wheels. I have a full set of the available discs / wheels for very flexible usage.

Iride01 

Um, no what? After over 50 years using a hacksaw that worked well for me I have to get a more expensive one?

I'm still happy with mine. One doesn't hold the blade so great, but for cutting stuff that only takes a dozen strokes it is not an issue.

The OP gave no information about intended use or desires. I was only putting out there that you don't need to spend a lot for something if you don't use it all the time. Mine will cut a top tube fine. I've cut things similar to a top tube with just the blade alone and no frame.


And when you read a post, stand back and grin some.... you did realize the power band saw was more humor than a serious suggestion, didn't you?

I've got and or used reciprocating saws and hand held power bands saws. Just like a simple hack saw, they all require some skill to make a straight cut. But it can be done with repeated experience or a good teacher and operator willing to listen.