cutting torch

Other than its not very precise and you will have added work cleaning up the slag. Plus it's going to heat up the blank way more than I would feel comfortable with. When I cut steel I have the lines from one knife very close to the other to eliminate waisted steel. Get yourself a harbor freight band saw and save yourself a headache.
 
A cutting torch is much faster than a sawzall. I have done the sawzall bit, used a cut-off wheel, hacksaw and paid to have them cut out with a water jet. I haven't used the torch or a plasma cutter yet. Don't have access to a plasma cutter.
 
A few old school makers, one specifically David Boye, used a torch to cut out blanks. You have to be good at it and leave a large area to grind away around the final knife blank. I would say it is the next to last choice for cutting out a blank ... the last being using a cold chisel.
 
Well, I gave it a shot. I am experienced with a cutting torch on mild steel. CPM D-2 doesn't cut like mild steel, it didn't want to cut at all. I stopped before I ruined my stock. So that's a pretty good reason not to use the torch.
 
D-2 is a poor choice for torch cutting. Hopefully it is still OK.

You don't torch cut any air hardening steel, for obvious reasons. This is one reason people shpuld give full details when asking questions. If you had said "D-2" no one would have suggested a torch.
 
If you must:

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swingline327 said:
A cutting torch is much faster than a sawzall. I have done the sawzall bit, used a cut-off wheel, hacksaw and paid to have them cut out with a water jet. I haven't used the torch or a plasma cutter yet. Don't have access to a plasma cutter.
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I can cut out a blank from 1095 in under 15 minutes with a sawzall and a grinding wheel. Not ideal, but its no time compared to how long I take to make a knife.
 
i have also used and angle grinder with a good cut off wheel, but that is not the safest or preferred method. I too, am looking for a band saw.
 
A decent quality portaband saw in something like a Swag Off-road table works pretty good for cutting out knives. You can lay things out fairly close to each other. Cut close to the lines and save some time on the grinder.
 
Try a plasma cutter I use a torch everyday at work it takes time to get good with it
 
It was just a question man you never know what he can get his hands on sorry I commented. A torch body and head with hose and bottles isn't cheap either but he has access to that just saying I know I can buy a band saw for cheaper then that set up.
 
I have a Portaband and a SWAG table but most of the time I cutoff the bar stock and make a couple straight cuts around the profile with a 4 1/2 inch angle grinder and a 1/16th bi-metal cutoff wheel. I wear a leather apron, earplugs, and a full face shield ( over safety glasses). It takes less than a minute to get to a blade that I can grind down to the profile on my KMG grinder. I live in "Oil Country" and angle grinders are used by the welders all day long and with very few injuries because of safety equipment. I would not be without my Dewalt angle grinder even though I use the Milwaukee Portaband often. Just my opinion. Larry Lehman

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