A piercing saw, also known as a jeweler's saw, is a type of

saw A saw is a tool consisting of a tough blade, wire, or chain with a hard toothed edge. It is used to cut through material, very often wood, though sometimes metal or stone. The cut is made by placing the toothed edge against the material and mov ...

commonly used in

jewelry making Jewellery design is the art or profession of designing and creating jewellery. This is one of civilization's earliest forms of decoration, dating back at least 7,000 years to the oldest known human societies in Indus Valley Civilization, Mesopo ...

sheet metal Sheet metal is metal formed into thin, flat pieces, usually by an industrial process. Sheet metal is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and it can be cut and bent into a variety of shapes. Thicknesses can vary significantly; ex ...

. It is usually used on softer metals as the saw is delicate... Like a

coping saw A coping saw is a type of bow saw used to cut intricate external shapes and interior cut-outs in woodworking or carpentry. It is widely used to cut moldings to create coped rather than mitre joints. It is occasionally used to create fretwork ...

, a piercing saw holds the blade in tension in a metal frame. As the fine blades frequently break, the frame is adjustable for blade length to allow the re-use of broken pieces. The frame throat size can range from .. Saw blades come in many different thicknesses and the choice of blade will depend on the material being sawn and nature of the work being done. For very fine delicate work, and for cutting very thin material use a finer blade, and for general purpose cutting a heavier blade. Saw blades have a range of sizes, from finest to coarsest: 8/0, 7/0, 6/0, 5/0, 4/0, 3/0, 2/0, 1/0, 00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. A piercing saw is often used with a V-board, also known as a birdsmouth board, which is a wooden board with a "V" shaped cutout in one end. In use, the V-board is clamped to the bench so that the section with the cutout hangs over the edge. This allows the work to be held down flat whilst shapes are cut into it. Either the work or the saw frame may be rotated. The V-cutout allows the saw blade to pass through the work unimpeded. When eventually worn or damaged, the board is easily replaced.

References

Metalworking hand tools Jewellery making Saws {{Metalworking-stub