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Sawing and piercing: cutting and hollowing metal

· 2 min read · Techniques

Illustration: Sawing and piercing: cutting and hollowing metal

The jeweler's saw is a fine tool for cutting shapes out of sheet metal. With it you make profiles, openwork pieces (ajouré) and internal cutouts.

Steps of the technique: Draw, Drill, Fit the blade, Saw, Turn the piece, File
Summary of the steps

The saw and blades #

A blade is tensioned in the frame with the teeth facing the handle and downward. Sizes run from very fine to coarse (for example 8/0 to 8): choose the blade by the thickness of the metal.

How to cut #

Rest the piece on the bench pin (with its V notch), lubricate the blade with wax and saw in long, even strokes without forcing. To hollow out an interior, drill a hole, thread the blade through and cut.

Decorative openwork #

Openwork (ajouré, fretwork) creates metal lace: from Roman jewelry to contemporary design. Finish with fine files and sandpaper.

Tips #

Change the blade when it dulls; a broken blade usually means too much pressure.

Step by step #

  1. Draw. Mark the design on the metal with a marker or glued paper.
  2. Drill. Make a hole in each area you will cut out.
  3. Fit the blade. Thread it through the hole and tension the frame.
  4. Saw. With wax and long, vertical strokes.
  5. Turn the piece. Follow the curve by moving the metal, not the saw.
  6. File. Tidy the edges with needle files.

Tools and materials #

Common mistakes #

  • Forcing the cut: the blade breaks.
  • Twisting the frame in a tight curve.
  • Choosing a blade too coarse for the sheet.
  • Not drilling before cutting out the interior.

See also #

This entry was drafted with the help of AI and is pending review by the author.