2 steerers to cut down, whats a good pipe cutter?

A hacksaw?

A hacksaw

+1

+1

As i don't have a vice its out i am afraid

Hacksaw again, the roller cutters are crap, esp on those zochi steerer tubes that have the ridges on.
The cutter jumps onto a differnet ridge and spoils the cut

I use a Kennedy pipe cutter (from Cromwell Tools) on my Fox and Marzocchi forks, and also Thomson seatposts. I always finish the job with a file, but much prefer a cutter to a saw.

A beta one even comes with deburring tool, replacable cutters available to

Mine was just a cheapy £7 one from a hardware shop, has done 10+ sets of forks and is still fine.

Wickes pipe cutter will do it but take your time and wear goggles/glasses in case the blades snaps.

Vice and hacksaw ideal but pipe cutter and a file will be fine.

Make sure it comes with spare blades.

Hacksaw and a steady hand.

I knackered my bench vice a while back and have been using a couple of large clamps since which have allowed all cutting / drilling jobs I've needed to do, albeit not as easily as with a vice.

I used a hacksaw and a X-Tools Saw Guide from CRC £18 in a vice it worked really well and no messing with the amount to cut off and it was even a straight cut! I have also used it to shorten handle bars and you can do that with the bars on the bike and no vice.

Last time I did a set I used a hacksaw and used some card to protect the forks when I put pressure on them on top of the patio wall. Maybe I'm just lucky but the cut was straight enough.

Hacksaw and an old stem to keep it straight

I got a cheapo one from B&Q
It was less than a fiver

It did a set of MTB forks, more curtain poles than I could count and eventually dies after a carbon roadie steerer

Not bad value although the dust after the carbon was pretty horrific

Rothenberger cutters,,,the park tool of the air con world,,,

I bought this saw guide from CRC and just used a hacksaw on the floor. Went through no problems and all nice and straight.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=10222

B&Q ones last for a while, but they're dirt cheap. I'd say about ten or fifteen steerers before it's time to get a new one which is fine by me.

yup, hacksaw and an old stem, or even a spacer and a steady hand if that isn't available. If they're new forks you can use the box as support as you perch over your front doorstep making the cut (personal experience).

I don't mean to patronise, but measure twice, cut once. The cut doesn't need to be completely straight as the top of the stem will be above the steerer to allow the top cap to push down.

B&Q one barely scratched the surface of the steerer on my Revelations (and it's not faulty as I've since used it just fine on copper pipes)

I always find that pipe cutters burr the end of the pipe inwards which would make it hard to get the star nut or expander past. Maybe that's because I'm using an old worn out one though.

If you're using a hacksaw, don't cut right through in one go as it might wander off line and give you a sloping cut.
Go right round with a shallow cut until the ends join up, then go round again, just breaking through each time.

I find a pair of mole grips and a Land Rover front bumper make an excellent improvised vice.

i just buy the cheapest one from Wilko's and chuck it away afterwards. Did the steel steerer on my Pikes with no trouble and only cost a couple of £.

if you have to cut the steer tube off in the Vice, little tip, if you have an old 5-10mm alloy head set spacer that you dont mind damaging, slide this down the steer tube to your cut line, put this against the jaws in the vice (not in the vice) clamp the steer tube in the vice and use the head set spacer as a guide to give you a streight cut.
The Park SG-6 is worth investing in, along with being used to cut steer tubes down its good for bars and set post and those odd houshold plumbing jobs that turn up now and again

Get the saw guide from CRC. Its better if you hold it in a vice, but not essential.

If are using a hacksaw a jubliee clip fitted round the steerer makes a good little guide if you have no other tools guides etc

Sorry – OT but Racing_Ralp I have sent you my address for the stem again, if you don't get it please mail me your phone number and I'll give you a call.

Cheers!

Meh, I usually hacksaw it whilst it's still in the bike, wheel between my knees.

This topic pops up all the time and it's amazing how many people will waste money on a guide or pipe cutter when an hacksaw and old stem or even carefully cutting using a masking taped line will do the job fine. The most important thing is to measure twice cut once.
Even if you do cut wonky it doesn't matter as the top face of the steerer is not an interface.