senator Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Hello Everyone. I am wondering what everyone uses to cut out knife blanks. I currently have a huge pile of leaf springs and when cutting out blanks 1) it takes entirely too long 2) makes a huge mess when using a cutoff wheel 3) is very labor intensive. I am thinking of either buying a plasma cutter or taking my design someplace to have a water jet cut it out. I will be forging the blade section of the knife and doing as little stock removal as possible. I really don't see myself cranking out more than 4 knives per month....so I am unsure if it makes sense financially to have blanks cut on a water jet. I am interested in what you guys are currently doing and what advice you may be able to give. Respect,Senator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norrin_radd Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 I haven't cut any knife blanks yet but I have cut a good many things, including lawnmover and bush hog blades, with a portable bandsaw rigged vertically with a table mod:Others have mentioned similar setups too. As far as metal cutting bandsaws go this is the cheapest entry level I could find. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 If you are forging the blade anyway, then don't waste your time and money cutting the profile out first! Just cut the springs into bars that are small enough dimension to not be insane amounts of forging to reduce the volume for the intended blade. I buy barstock and forge blades entirely to shape and cross section, I will occasionally cut an angle on the tip end if I'm feeling lazy and want a head start on the point. When I start from a sheet of steel, I slice off a strip with an angle grinder (though I now use a torch) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Lots of ways to skin a cat. Most seem to start with coil intead off leaf springs for forged blades, but a good hot cut chisel will save you a lot of "consumables with your saw or grinder. As well as your torch. Depending on blade and leaf dementions (1/4"x1 1/2 or 2" some times 3 inch. Even 3/4x 6") the best way to go. I have seen a shear made up of a grader blade for cutting hot. It was set in the hardy, with one blade the length of the anvil and hitting the other to slice the stock hot. As I see it you can make 4 blanks prety fast, cut to lenghth, cut to with (split right down the middle) cut each of the bars in half with an angle. Then forge to shape, including your tang. If you plan on forging the blade any way, its just as easy (and way cooler) to use a hot cut. One can very easaly be forged from your spring and handled for the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 as I explained on my book, forge to shape, why waste time and effort doing a cookie cutter when forging is fast and less material on the floor too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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