Tips for cutting carbon handlebars

Yikes! Definitely don't use that!

Go easy with a standard 32t hacksaw blade and you'll be fine. Some sort of guide is highly recommend.

J.B. Weld said:

Yikes! Definitely don't use that!

Go easy with a standard 32t hacksaw blade and you'll be fine. Some sort of guide is highly recommend.

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I also like to put a tight wrap of masking tape on the bar before cutting. The finer and sharper the hacksaw blade, the better. Smooth the cut edge with a sanding sponge.

I believe there is a hacksaw blade just for carbon: 10 Best Hacksaw Blade For Carbon Fiber of 2022

Don't use a tube cutter! It could damage the bar from the pressure.

I have been successfully cutting carbon with a 32t for years. Seems to work just fine.

The way that tube cutter makes a cut in metal inherently will not work for carbon.

I like to wrap in wide masking tape to give me a reference for cutting, cut with an abrasive cut off wheel, and then use the edge of the wheel to face down to very close to the tape. Then use 1000 grit emery cloth to clean up the end of the cut. Put the emery cloth on a hard flat surface and drag the end of the carbon tube across it flat, rotate and repeat a few times until flat and to desired length. then scuff the inside and outside edge of the tube with the emery paper to break the sharp edge.

diamond abrasive cutter wheel is best
and a guide of some sort

simple dremel with cutter and careful hands will do

127.0.0.1 said:

diamond abrasive cutter wheel is best

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I'm not sure about "best". Admittedly I've never used an abrasive cutting wheel before and I'd be scared to go at a carbon tube with one.

I think an abrasive hacksaw blade made for carbon used with a cutting guide would probably be technically best but having used both that and a regular fine tooth hacksaw blade I think both are fine.

The reason I'd pick a blade and a guide over a cutting wheel is that it seems like a lot more controlled process.

127.0.0.1 said:

diamond abrasive cutter wheel is best
and a guide of some sort

simple dremel with cutter and careful hands will do

Click to expand...

Yeah, I have a mini mitre-box saw with a diamond blade specifically for cutting carbon tubing, it cuts the stuff (and handlebars) like butter.

J.B. Weld said:

I'm not sure about "best". Admittedly I've never used an abrasive cutting wheel before and I'd be scared to go at a carbon tube with one.

I think an abrasive hacksaw blade made for carbon used with a cutting guide would probably be technically best but having used both that and a regular fine tooth hacksaw blade I think both are fine.

The reason I'd pick a blade and a guide over a cutting wheel is that it seems like a lot more controlled process.

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If you can see a line, you can cut a line... power tools just makes it faster to **** up

I use the clamps from an old set of grips as a guide. Gets me a straight cut, which for me is impossible to do freehand.

Definitely take the advice previously given and do not use a pipe cutter on carbon. A little tip that I learned on here is to put a coat of clear nail polish on after you’ve made your cut and got everything all smooth. It will add a seal to any unprotected fibers and leave a nice finished look.

J.B. Weld said:

I'm not sure about "best". Admittedly I've never used an abrasive cutting wheel before and I'd be scared to go at a carbon tube with one.

I think an abrasive hacksaw blade made for carbon used with a cutting guide would probably be technically best but having used both that and a regular fine tooth hacksaw blade I think both are fine.

The reason I'd pick a blade and a guide over a cutting wheel is that it seems like a lot more controlled process.

Click to expand...

from the dozens of carbon frames and accessories I've seen cleanly cut in half with a diamond wheel and a dremel, I'm sticking with best. you do need to operate and guide it correctly, but high speed diamond grit gives very clean composite cutting action w/o a lot of setup...and it's a pretty common tool

I've always opted for a hacksaw. I'd be concerned about the dust thrown off from a cutting wheel. Tape and a guide makes it real easy. You really don't have to be that accurate for handlebars, but it's worth the extra two minutes to do it correctly.

Just to throw you guys into a flat spin. I have cut carbon bars down with a tube cutter before..... It worked. Not ideal though. And a hack saw and a diamond blade on a dremel and an angle grinder wirh a thin disc.

Good thing about the tube cutter is that is a perfect square cut. You can also to a couple laps on the tube cutter then finish off woth any of the above tools. They them follow the tube cutter square edge......


Ps I died a little inside when my wife insisted i cut her enve bars down to less than 700......

127.0.0.1 said:

from the dozens of carbon frames and accessories I've seen cleanly cut in half with a diamond wheel and a dremel, I'm sticking with best. you do need to operate and guide it correctly, but high speed diamond grit gives very clean composite cutting action w/o a lot of setup...and it's a pretty common tool

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Correct, but so too is a hacksaw and if you don't have one, the price of admission is far lower. As is the relative skill required to use.

plummet said:

Just to throw you guys into a flat spin. I have cut carbon bars down with a tube cutter before..... It worked. Not ideal though. And a hack saw and a diamond blade on a dremel and an angle grinder wirh a thin disc.

Good thing about the tube cutter is that is a perfect square cut. You can also to a couple laps on the tube cutter then finish off woth any of the above tools. They them follow the tube cutter square edge......


Ps I died a little inside when my wife insisted i cut her enve bars down to less than 700......

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I don't think it's safe as the pressure required could crack the cf and it may not even be noticeable.

I have always used a carbon specific blade like this one with a saw guide. I'm sure a 32 TPI regular blade with using a grip clamp for a guide would work too, but I'm way too OCD for that and I like buying tools anyway.

I use a standard steerer tube saw guide (tightened lightly of course) and a hacksaw with a very fine tooth and it works perfectly. Avoid the dust, chit will kill you.

As others have stated, 32t hacksaw. Freehand if your not real particular like myself, lock on grips hide any slight flaw (uneven cut) or if you are particular a cheap plastic mitre box from HD or LOWES will do the trick. They have little plastic pieces that lock the bar in place, straight cut and done. Never seen the need or had an issue without tape but if you want to go with the extra effort, it certainly won't hurt matters.