Above: After using Wikus band saw blades for quite a while, Southern Hydraulic Cylinder switched to a different type of blade but returned to Wikus after determining its blade performed significantly better
September, 2025- When a manufacturer switches from one band saw blade brand to another, it is usually because the company experienced a production problem or found that the blade did not provide an acceptable value for the cost. However, after Southern Hydraulic Cylinder Inc. in Athens, Tennessee, switched from band saw blades from Wikus Saw Technology Corp. in Addison, Illinois, to another brand based on a management decision, the cylinder manufacturer eventually took a U-turn this past spring, says Maintenance Manager Mike Fisher.
“We were using Wikus for quite a while and then got away from them and went to different style blade,” he adds. “We found that the Wikus works a whole lot better and went back to them.”
Founded in 1989, SHC produces a variety of different hydraulic cylinder sizes for an array of applications at its three-building, 53,000-sq.-ft . manufacturing campus where 70 employees work for two 10-hour shifts four days a week, Fisher says. Some of the largest industries the company serves include waste management, railroad and towing and recovery. “There are just a wide variety of customers. When you call in and ask, ‘Can you make us an XYZ cylinder?’, we’re your guys.”
The list of workpiece materials includes ductile iron, and grades 1018, 1026 and 1045 carbon steel. One material the shop uses that tends to “eat saw blades” is chrome rod, in which a thin protective layer of chrome surrounds a core made of grade 1045 steel. The chrome is effective for protecting a cylinder in harsh outdoor environments, such as extended exposure to salt water.
SHC has three Amada saws to cut rods, which are up to 10 in. diameters, as well as squares and tubing, says Johnny Smith, saw shop supervisor. “The first process that we do to get the parts to the machine shop is saw everything to length.”
SHC reports that its CNC shop effectively handles, repeatably and precisely, the key tasks to create its U.S.-made cylinders. After processing all the individual components and hand assembling a cylinder, the company inspects each one and performs an oil test in excess of the maximum operating pressure.
Wikus claims that its X3000 bimetal band saw blade is characterized by its high hardness and excellent toughness.
GOING WITH BIMETAL
With SHC looking to bring back Wikus band saw blades, the toolmaker selected the Marathon X3000 and the Marathon M42 bimetal blades for testing, Fisher says. During the testing process, SHC followed its production schedule without making any changes just because new blades were being evaluated.
He added that no other supplier spent a week assisting SHC. “That spoke big volumes to us. We’ve never had service like that.”
Fisher adds that the Marathon X3000 proved effective for cutting chrome rod. “We’ve seen the performance double for us with blade life and how many parts we’re getting versus the competitor.”
The Marathon X3000 is for sawing high-alloyed, difficult-to-machine materials, as well as steel with a tensile strength over 1,000 N/mm2, according to Wikus. The blade features a positive (hook tooth) rake angle, a variable tooth pitch and standard set, provides high cutting edge stability and high wear resistance, and is suitable for cutting profiles and solid materials.
Wikus states that the Marathon M42, which also has a positive rake, is its “all-rounder” for sawing small and large cross sections of solid materials. The super finishing of the band saw blade and the sharp cutting edges increase the blade life and improve the quality of the cut. The fine band surface protects the machine’s guides and increases fatigue strength.
Fisher says SHC has not been using the M42 blade long enough to determine if its machine guides are being protected by the fine band surface but does not suspect that the blade is causing any guide wear because blade is cutting so straight. The company performs preventive maintenance every six months and “decides if our guides need to be checked or not,” he says.
In addition to rods and squares, Southern Hydraulic Cylinders saws tubing with its Wikus band saw blades.
SUBJECT TO VARIATION
The Wikus blades SHC uses have a 3-4 variable tooth pitch, which he says works best for sawing the array of material types and sizes the manufacturer processes. The X3000 is only available with a variable pitch, while the M42 features a constant or variable pitch with a standard setting. “We’ve always had good success with variable pitch.”
One critical characteristic of a sawed workpiece is its squareness, Fisher explains. “We don’t want to have to go to the mill to square it.”
Fisher says he appreciates that the Wikus blades generate less noise than the previous ones, adding that SHC’s saw machines are built to minimize vibration and deflection. “What you hear is the saw running. Our saws track very well, so it’s not an issue for us.”
The biggest gains the cylinder manufacturer has seen after switching back to Wikus blades are their ability to last longer and boost productivity because of less frequent blade changes, Smith says. In addition to experiencing blade breakage, the previous blades might only last a couple of days to perhaps a week before they had too much wear. In addition to sawing a workpiece out of square, the telltale signs of a worn blade are imparting a rough surface finish and blade jumping.
Tool life for the Wikus blades is like night and day compared to SHC’s previous blades, Fisher says. “We leave the Wikus on there for 30 days, which is incredible for us. An operator showed me the edges of a blade, and they are still razor sharp and I’ve had it in there for 30 days.”
Fisher adds that when a blade starts to need more time to cut through a part, the operators realize the blade is starting to become dull and needs changing. “They do a great job.” Dull blades are then sent to the scrap hopper along with the machined chips.
Even with the success of the Wikus Marathon X3000 and M42 blades at Southern Hydraulic Cylinder, Fisher says the manufacturer is still open to testing other blades that show promise. “None of them outperform the Wikus.”
Southern Hydraulic Cylinder Inc., 800/737-8988, http://southhydcyl.com/
Wikus Saw Technology Corp., 844/WIKUS-4U, http://wikussawtech.com/
