"Boris Beizer" wrote in message
hlink.net...

"Mike Henry" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for recommendations on good brands or sources for jeweler's
saws.

I've been using what is probably an import and am frustrated by it's
apparent inability to keep the blade tensioned.

Have you tried fixing it? If it's an ordinary jeweler's saw, the blade is
held in place by a movable flat plate against the frame -- the movable
plate
and the frame must both be very parallel. Also, the fit of the movable
plate against the post or screw must be LOOSE. Sloppy here is better
because it allows the plate to align with the frame. Another, but less
likely possibility is that the screw used to adjust the frame size is
loose
or worn. I've yet to see a jeweler's saw frame that couldn't be fixed by
a
little judicious filing of the plates and/or retapping a screw.
I've got two saw-frames, probably Grobet's but the names
are
worn off. The newer one I bought about 55 years ago as an apprentice. The
older one was my father's, which puts it about 85 or more years old. Both
totally serviceable and never a slipping blade that I can recall -- unless
the plates were dirty.
Of course, you may not have real jeweler's saw frame. If you
want to buy one, go to a professional jeweler's supplier such as
Gesswein,
Ritter, or I. Shors. A good saw frame is a once-in-a-lifetime,
trouble-free, purchase.

Thanks for the input Boris. The problematic saw is a cheap import bought at
NAMES a few years ago from one of the vendors there. It's at work now, but
AIR it is made of stamped steel that is poorly chromed and I'd rather spend
a few bucks on a quality saw than an hour or so fixing a POS.

IAC, I've looked at the Gesswein site and would appreciate a recommendation
on the saw frames listed he

http://www.gesswein.com/catalog/cata...TOKEN=82164763

I'm inclined toward an adjustable frame and those all seem to fall in the
$10-20 range, but there's a fixed frame listed for $50. Is the extra money
for the $50 frame justified?