Just wanted to say hello

[ClaireBear]

Hi My name is Claire & I started silversmithing just 4 weeks ago. Enrolled in the 2 hour hobby course & was then offered the City & Guilds Course as well. So 2 hours on a monday & then 3 1/2 hours on a thursday but with a lot more work & research expected from me. Am loving it so far although I have found sawing today gradually made me lose the will to live! Any tips on how to stop the blades from breaking all the time?

Apart from my course work I would like to make something special for my step-daughter who is getting married in July & for my sister & her husband who celebrate their 25th Wedding Anniversary in June. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Bearing in mind that I am a newbie but am also very enthusiatic! lol We have been shown silver casting this week so that maybe an option.

Thanks in anticipation.

Claire x

[MuranoSilver]

Go gentle with the force and let the blade do the work (helps me with saw blades).
Also make sure the blade is tight, it should ping when you twang it
nic xx

[lynnm]

I haven't done lots of sawing so far but felt like you to start with and then this week all of a sudden it was so much easier! guess practice helps! I run my blade through wax to help it (I just run it through a candle)

[Fi Wilson]

Hi, welcome to the forum . Yes, like Nic says, let the blade do the work. Sounds a bit strange but you'll soon feel as though you're just holding and guiding the saw rather than putting any sawing pressure on it. The trick is to relax while you're doing it.

Fi

[AlexandraBuckle]

welcome to the forum
good luck with the sawing! keep practising and you'll soon be a pro

[lorraineflee]

Hi and welcome from me too!
Lorraine

[Gemma]

Hello Claire and
Don't lose the will to live! Keep trying! Best hobby ever!

[WitchfordSilver]

Also try and not twist the blade without it moving! Your know when your getting better as the number of breaks will drop off.

I found that if you have an adjustable saw frame you can re ues the broken bits a second time

[Suec]

Hi Clare
I am a few months in to the art of silversmithing so would not dream of offering technical advice but I will say that my own experience of sawing supports the experts...just let the blade do the work...I see my hand as just there to keep the file upright and moving up and down...and in some conatct with the metal.
I have found that I am quite good at some things and yet not so good at others...what have you found easy to do?
My less bothersome skills include making jump rings (but see later) and soldering (love that bit)
My most bothersome skill is the first cutting of the jump ring coil...why does the saw want to stretch the metal away from the coil?
Anyway...learning is fun...and thank goodness the baldes are not tooo expensive - my tutor advised buying bundles on mass! she was right!

[daisychain]

Hi Claire

Sawing does get easier, I promise! It's mainly a case of getting comfortable with how much pressure you need to hold the saw. As everyone else has said, you only need enough to make sure the saw doesn't fall out of your hand and let the blade do the work.

Think about your posture too - I sit low down with the work at about eyelevel, feet apart (at about 11 and 1o'clock if straight ahead is 12) with my knees in line with my feet. It helps me to stay stable and therefore twist the blade less.
Also, if the blade does get stuck, don't force it. I've found that often just picking the whole piece of work up by the blade (ie work dangling from the blade) will help to loosen things a bit.

Have fun!