Finally got the hang of my rock saw after a year of bad cuts

I was always getting jagged breaks on my agate slabs until I watched a guy at the Tucson gem show last month. He was using way less pressure and letting the blade do the work. I tried it on a piece of Lake Superior agate yesterday and the cut was perfect. Anyone else take way too long to figure out a basic tool trick?

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charles_wilson4mo ago

My first twenty slabs of jasper looked like they were chewed by a bear, no joke. I was pushing down so hard the motor would groan. Then I saw a video from a lapidary shop in Montana doing exactly what you and @the_patricia said, just a light touch. It felt wrong, like I wasn't doing anything, but the blade just glided. Now my cuts are smooth and I feel like an idiot for all that wasted rock.

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the_patricia4mo ago

That "way less pressure" thing is the real secret, isn't it? I fought with my saw for months, convinced I needed to force it. Turns out you just have to guide it and be patient. A fresh blade helps a ton, too, but letting the tool work at its own speed changes everything. Why do we always think we need to muscle through it first?

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