Saw clips win a gold

Ingenious plastic clips are the keys that allow replacement blades to be attached to saws in an innovative design that has just won its inventor a gold medal at the British Invention of the Year Awards

. The idea is the invention of Bob Jackson, managing director of Target Fluid Services in Totton, Hampshire, who told us that, “I thought it silly to throw away saws when the blades becomes dull, and a skilled craftsman needs a number of different blades for different purposes. I went to a company called Great Star, and said I could design three products for them, and they selected two, one of which was the saw with replaceable blades”. To make the fasteners, he said that, “I came up with a rectangular element, originally made of steel, now made of plastic, which has a 60 degree groove on both sides. The saw blade and support have two tongues along the side, ground to 30 degrees each, so as to give an overall 60 degree inclusive angle. The elements are slid in and lock the blade and support together.” Great Star (UK) is based in Romsey and works with Great Star (Asia), one of the largest tool manufacturers in the World in China, using the brand name, “Magnusson”. Jackson added that, “We are currently looking at making a blade with tungsten carbide chips in it for cutting floor tiles”. The Awards are annually held in conjunction with the British Invention Show at London’s Alexandra Palace. For more information: http://www.goldmedalco.com and http://www.britishinventionshow.com