2
Blade Installation
1. Insert blade in the lower holder
and tighten the clamp screw.
End of blade fully inserted
The end of the blade is stopped by touching the threads at the bottom of the
blade hole.
(The blade has been colored red to make it easier to see.)
As you can see in this cut-away view, the blade is gripped at the very end.
The tension must be relaxed before inserting a blade so that the blade will touch
the end of the hole.
2. Loosen the adjusting knob at the top at least one full turn to lower the holder*
*Take care: Over-loosening the top blade holder can cause the components to become separated.
3. If you are piercing, thread the blade through the hole in the metal.
4. Check the Blade length
After clamping the blade in the lower clamp, the loose end of the
blade should extend beyond the upper anvil screw. This makes
sure that the blade will be clamped properly before tensioning.
If the blade is 5 1/8” long, but does not extend as shown, loosen
the tension more.
5. Push the upper holder upwards.
This makes it easier to insert the blade
.
6. The blade will bow slightly when the ends of the blade contact the bottoms of the holes.
The image above shows a blade bowed after inserting into the clamp. This sort of flexing shows that the
blade will be tensioned and clamped well and correctly.
7. Tighten the clamp screw into the blade holder.
Tensioning the blade:
Tension the blade by turning the adjusting knob clockwise.
Flick the blade with your finger — a taut blade “sings”.
Installing the next blade, after a blade
wears or breaks:
Remember to loosen the tension, which lowers the blade-holding barrel.
This is essential, so that the clamp screw can touch the blade.
End of blade should extend
just past end of anvil screw.
