How to get moving faster

[LOVEnLAVISH]

Hi, I'm new to working with metal and would love and appreciate your advice.

I just got my hands on a jewelers saw. I have watched a few tips on Youtube and I get the process, but for some reason it takes me forever to saw something small like a circle. The people on youtube can finish a whole lesson before I'm half way through my piece, I feel like I'm moving so slowly. I am using a wax on the saw piece and I don't know what I am doing wrong. PLEASE all advice will be so helpful.

[SilverCedarJewelry]

Practise on a smallish piece of sheet, make sure it is supported on both sides of the V on a little wood block sticking out with a V cut, and hold the metal steady with your other hand while sawing so it doesn't flap around. Use the full length of the saw blade.
Maybe your problem is that the saw blade is the wrong size for the thickness of the sheet you are sawing?

[LOVEnLAVISH]

Thank you, I was thinking my metal was maybe too thick ...not sure. Should there be a strong pulling pressure on the metal to get it to move along faster? I will practice on a thinner copper piece next.

[SilverCedarJewelry]

Make sure the teeth of the blade are facing downwards. Do not use pressure, just a gentle steady up and down motion.

[LOVEnLAVISH]

Okay, I'll be working on something this week and I'll post if I see a difference. Thanks!

[Former_Member]

Correct number of teeth for the metal thickness is important to speed. Bigger teeth let you go faster... but too big and it becomes difficult to saw at all. A smaller/finer blade than you need will feel smooth and be easy to control, but will take longer.

What's different between what you're doing and the videos you're watching? If they are stroking faster than you, that's just experience and time and moving faster. If they are stroking the same speed as you, then each stroke is cutting farther - this could be that your blade is smaller than theirs, or you aren't using the full length of the blade to cut.

But - I think the main thing is practice. Everything is slower when you're new, and going slow is good - it lets you focus on accuracy and good form. Hold the saw lightly, keep the blade going straight up and down, and be careful to stay on the line. Don't push or force the blade along the cut. You'll get faster in time.