[Closed] Best way to cut a steerer straight

Use an old stem as a guide to cut against.

Or

Use pipe cutters and de-burr with a file .

If you have a spare headset spacer , tape this to the tube to use as a saw guide , I can still go a little askew as the spacer will be soft but may be better than free hand

yep sacrificial spacer above stem.

Get a lnackered old stem, clamp it on, and use that as a guide. Or even just some tape. It doesn't need to be a perfect result anyway. (I'm assuming we're talking metal steerer here.)

Measure three times, cut once 🙂

cool ... have old stem, have sacrificial spacer !

Yes metal steerer ...

Put a stem on so the bottom of the stem is at your Mark. Then put tape below the stem so you can see its on straight and square.

Remove the stem.

Now saw using the tape as a guide. Don't cut through and let the blade do the work. Every so often, turn the forks a little so you cut a ring all the way around. Once the ring is complete, it will serve as its own cutting guide.

Finish with a file. Draw the file across the steeter, then turn it a little and do it again. The file marks will show the high and low points.

Or did you just want a quick and easy method.

Lik @Onza says, mark with tape, or use the stem stem spacer etc. but don't saw through straight, work your way round without going all the way through, then deepen the cut.

Pipe cutter from a diy plumbers merchant is what I’ve used

I was thinking of rotating as suggested ... and using an old stem

I am convinced that just tape won't work for me ... I am a sawing special needs case ....

I will de-burr with  a file ( had that covered ... I can file)

I have numerous pipe cutters from plumbers ... but as I said, it seemed to flare the steerer ... not doing that again.

Surprised nobody has suggested a skills course, for sawing straight and shit.

Rather than cutting through in one go, saw a bit at a time just a mm deep and keep rotating the steerer until you have cut a groove all the way round. Keep rotating the steerer a few degrees at a time until your cut is deep enough to guide the saw blade.

stiff drink and go for it!

(just make doubly sure you are cutting the right side of that old stem though, eh.)

I'm not very patient so I just go them with a jigsaw by eye. I always cut a little long and put a spacer on top of stem anyway. It's not massively important to be perfectly square but I might flatten with a belt sander if really bad.

More recently I bought a pipe cutter from Wickes for a few quid that does a very neat job in minutes, and it's this I would recommend . It spreads the alloy near the cut a little making sliding a stem on a more difficult,  a quick chamfer with a belt sander will sort.

Jesus guys.

Get a bit of tape round it, or even draw a line with a pencil. Don't go hammer and tongs at it, and check as you go.

It's really, really not rocket science.

Even if you do make a dog's cock of it, they're all aluminium these days. You can file it flat, deburr it and chamfer it in 5 -10 minutes at most.

Tighten a jubilee clip around steerer and then hacksaw nice and steady using the clip as a guide. 2 minutes with a file to finish off. Measure twice cut once.

The absolute easiest barely need a brain method is buy a saw guide.

I don't like pipe cutters, the bulge they create around the cut is a PITA

Learn to accept your steerer, stop trying to change him.

Don't cut it with a pipe cutter.  It splays the end and is a pain to file it flat again.

My technique is to use a pipe cutter to lightly score it round.  Then use a hacksaw, BUT don't just start cutting and keep going - make a shallow cut on the line then turn it a bit, another shallow cut, turn it again etc and work your way around this way, cutting deeper each time.  Perfect cut.

Done, sorted, it's straight... rotating it was the trick ..

Spacer looks a little patinaed ....

SFN isn't in straight ... will have to re hit tomorrow ...

But the guide tool, takes any worry out of it.

Hold steerer with your left hand, use your index finger and thumb as a guide. Start sawing rapidly. If you see blood it means you're going off course. Wipe blood away, adjust saw angle, and continue.

Once cut, rub end of steerer on wall or paving slab to smooth it off. Wipe steerer down, and don't forget to pick up any severed digits before going back in the house for a well earned beer.

Or don't worry all that much . The odd mm won't make any difference at all. 10 might though!

Just stand further away from it, then it will be smaller with no need to cut. Adjust distance according to size required.

Just stand further away from it, then it will be smaller with no need to cut. Adjust distance according to size required

Now I see!  Long, low, slack - It's all about not having to cut down your fork !

This question seems to pop up regularly. I've tried a few options but ended up buying an [url= http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/x-tools-saw-guide/rp-prod10222 ]X-Tools saw guide[/url] after which it doesn't get any simpler; they're great for cutting bars too. The X-Tools is £14.99 so no need to pay more for a Park.

They're currently out of stock at CRC but easy to pick up elsewhere.

I use a mitre box.

I use my LBS 🙂

£12.50 gets the steerer cut and an SFN installed 🙂

I know it's bad, i know it's weak... but some jobs once every 2-3 years are just easier to give to the experts.

Saw guide. I've used it for a ton of other stuff too!! 🙂

Stop being tight and buy a saw guide - they're cheap enough these days.

Same with the star fangled nut - just buy the tool.

I bought the X Tools stuff and its been brilliant for teh amount I use them.

Just stand further away from it, then it will be smaller with no need to cut.

Yeah, but don't forget the tube will reduce in diameter, too, so you'll need to shim it in order to fit the headset and stem.