cutting a carbon steerer

Anyone done this - how easy is it and do I need to strip the front end?

Also will I get away with using a sharp knife or do I need a hacksaw?

thanks

You'll definitely need a hacksaw. It's much easier and safer with a new, sharp blade with the finest teeth that you can find - you'll want to avoid ripping the CF strands. Better yet, buy a carbide hacksaw blade if you have a few quid to spare. Also just remove the fork entirely to make sure you get a straight cut. You can get fancy cutting guides, or just do as I did and use two hose clamps padded with electrical tape and spaced a few millimetres apart.

Use even and smooth strokes, be patient and let the blade do the work, and for god's sake don't try to break of the last little connected bit by hand.

If you do end up some loose strands after cutting, rub them away with fine sandpaper, don't pull on anything. Carbide blades will not have this problem.

Thanks may leave it for the lbs

What Shanghaied said .. but I'll add wear breathing protection as you don't want to inhale carbon dust.

Also a good finishing tip is to smear super glue on the cut end to seal the fibres and stop the cut ends becoming loose.

And put the end that's going to discarded in a vice to hold it steady.

I did it on my Niner forks with a cutting guide clamped in a workmate. A good tip we saw was to wet the saw blade periodically, that way the (incredibly bad for you) carbon dust doesn't get up your nose.

Took about 5 minutes doing nice smooth strokes and didn't have any problems with any loose strands. Tidied it up a tiny bit with a file and it's been absolutely fine.

I chickened out and got the lbs to do it in the basis I have no vice/ clamp and no hacksaw.

Thanks

It's very easy, I fashioned a braze on front mech hanger into a guide and used a good hack saw, a proper cutting guide is better but it worked ok