10 inch blade. 1.5 inch depth of cut. Still need to turn a proper handle (thats a file handle) and make some blade holders. Wanted somrthing small for my traveling box. Tried it out shortening some rivets and it works sweet! Comments, questions and critiques welcome. Bart

Very nice.

What are you planning on doing different with the handle? It looks a lot like a dovetail saw with the handle that way, or at least like a dovetail saw I have. While it is not very nice for lots of heavy sawing it works fine for several light cuts.

Phil

I just want turn my own handle instead of using the manufactured one. Did not really need another hacksaw but I've been in a tool-making mode lately. Thanks for looking...bart

Looks very much like the older style of hacksaw before they started putting "pistol" grips on them except for the placement of the handle. In the older style like my father's from the nineteen-thirties the handle was also the blade tensioning screw and was in line with the blade. It is such a good way to bust a few knuckles, at least this way your knuckles are up and out of the way. It's always nice to see someone making their own tools :P

OK...finished it today. Turned a handle from a piece of wild cherry I had. Copper band. Forged wing-nuts with tiny carriage bolts. I have a perfectly good "modern" hacksaw, but have wanted to make a proper "blacksmith" mode for some time now. Comments welcome...bart

I guess tension is achieved via an over-center toggle mechanism? Very clever.

Yeah, I saw a similar mechanism somewhere and borrowed it. Works really well. It seems to tension the blade tighter than the traditional thumbscrew mechanism. The thumbscrews holding the blade in place were a bear to make! So tiny compared to most if the stuff I make. Thanks for looking...bart

Nice work, lever idea looks great. 

 

as for handle, I was taught to Hacksaw by an old English tradesmen, he Always used a hacksaw with a handle like this. Said that it worked better, as you use it the same as you use a file. Same technique.

 

Wow! Forgotten I had posted this. As an update, I have found I can saw much more accurately than I ever could with a pistol grip saw. I think this is due not only to the parallel handle but also the increased blade tension provided by this design. Thanks for looking! Bart

I like that. Very nice!

:) Nicely done! 

I'm still not quite getting how you get tension on this mechanism. Is the handle threaded and tension adjusted that way?

I'm still not quite getting how you get tension on this mechanism. Is the handle threaded and tension adjusted that way?

The top top bar (yes, I said top top)is hooked in and acts as a spring mechanism to tension the blade. The bottom top bar pivots at the handle and pulls the blade tight.

Ingenious design.

Thanks, I think I get it.

I have spent most of my tool making on tools I did not have, or could not get. I might need to make a few like this. I really like it.