how do yall cut out yalls steel blanks? Scroll saw?????

[timfish]

I been using a variable speed angle grinder with a zizz wheel--
i got a 16" older craftsman scroll saw would that cut 1/8"if so-please tell me the blades yall use-THANKS!!

 

[unwisefool]

I'd post in the knifemakers section, lots of good info there. Have you tried lasers? I heard they are the new thing.

 

[LCoop]

Your best bet is a small portable electric metal bandsaw with a good blade "Lenox" for annealed metal. Everyone seems to like the SWAG table but I simply adapted mine to be a wall mount with a bigger base plate that's supper easy to make.

 

[Alex Topfer]

i use an angle grinder, but i'm mostly forging these days so the amount of cutting i do is limited.
if you're wanting a bunch of blanks of the same design look into local waterjet places, it's much faster

 

[Cliff Carter Knives]

Scroll saw won’t get the job done. You want what LCoop said. Portaband with some kind of table attachment. I use SWAG and they’re great. You can get a Bauer from harbor freight and then buy the swag table and get a complete setup for a few hundred dollars.

 

[Lorien]

 

[Jonathan BRG]

I bought a DeWalt portable band saw.
Made my own table out of 1/4” plate steel, and attached it to a plywood box and 2x4 “pillar” to make a “base”.

The only limitation is the length of cut.
It’s only good for like 5-6” (never measured it), before you have to figure out a way to flip and/or finesse it to avoid the body of the tool stopping your cut.

I often work with larger chunks of O1 in the 6”x36” range; and to minimize waste, I have to pull out my angle grinder, and even finish up the final 1/4-1/2” of cuts with a jigsaw and a metal blade.

All in all, despite its limitations, I wouldn’t want to be without it.

 

[Scaniaman]

I also use a metal bandsaw. Not only for cutting blanks, but micarta, G10, pin stock, etc. Very useful. Look into a portaband with swag table if you can't find or fit a good used floor standing unit. And mount a small dust exhaust, very good when cutting handle material.

 

[TheEdge01]

I have been using a angle grinder and 4” metal cutting wheels for years. You have a little cleanup to do afterwards, but it gets the job done.

 

[Seedy Lot]

While I have cut out hundreds of blanks with a hacksaw a portable bandsaw on a table is now one of my favorite tools in the shop that sees a bunch of use for random tasks.

 

[ChristoDart]

For years used a hacksaw but also upgraded to a portaband. Best investment so far for the shop.

 

[Horsewright]

Long time proponent of a Portaband and Swag table. The saw is so useful throughout the shop for so many things besides cutting out blades. I've often said and did that its the one tool I would replace that day if it ever died.

My daughter came up three days ago and cut out 69 blades for me (26C3 steel). I paid her $110 and it took her 5.5 hours. So thats roughly a lil under 5 minutes a blade and she does a great job. Very little to clean up on the grinder. Cost me a $1.60 per blade.

1) Thats pretty quick.

2) Thats pretty cheap per blade.

Portaband/Swag table is the way to go. I use it for pins, bolster materials, handle materials, trimming excess off of glued up knives all kinds of things. Pics from a couple winters ago when she cut out some blades for me:

 

[Richard338]

While I have cut out hundreds of blanks with a hacksaw a portable bandsaw on a table is now one of my favorite tools in the shop that sees a bunch of use for random tasks.

For years used a hacksaw but also upgraded to a portaband. Best investment so far for the shop.

Yep, there's nothing I can't profile in 5 minutes with my hacksaw. I don't make enough knives to be worth the space for a bandsaw.

 

[redsquid2]

Long time proponent of a Portaband and Swag table. The saw is so useful throughout the shop for so many things besides cutting out blades. I've often said and did that its the one tool I would replace that day if it ever died.

My daughter came up three days ago and cut out 69 blades for me (26C3 steel). I paid her $110 and it took her 5.5 hours. So thats roughly a lil under 5 minutes a blade and she does a great job. Very little to clean up on the grinder. Cost me a $1.60 per blade.

1) Thats pretty quick.

2) Thats pretty cheap per blade.

Portaband/Swag table is the way to go. I use it for pins, bolster materials, handle materials, trimming excess off of glued up knives all kinds of things. Pics from a couple winters ago when she cut out some blades for me:

How many bandsaw blades did it take to cut out those 69 blanks?

 

[Crag the Brewer]

How many bandsaw blades did it take to cut out those 69 blanks?

Sometimes they last a good, long while......
except my recent ones didn't :/

 

[Horsewright]

How many bandsaw blades did it take to cut out those 69 blanks?

Yeah the blades make a diff. Don’t remember but she did 65 here a few weeks back. She started with the blade already on there that had some life yet and switched part way through to a new one. So one and a bit.

 

[mooniesdl3]

Portaband attached to one of those tables like the picture above

 

[Bill DeShivs]

I prefer the standard Chinese 4" X 6" metal cutting bandsaw.
I may get a portaband and table for small work.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I have a modified 4X6 metal bandsaw and a portaband setup. The portaband gets used most.

I just received (free) a heavy duty 12" throat counter-top bandsaw that I think I can switch to 3-phase and a VFD to run metal blades. That may replace all the other saws since it will be able change blades and speed to cut wood, micarta, G-10, and steel.

 

[JV Knives]

I bought 2 other bandsaws before the portaband setup on a table....interested in either of the first 2? Learn from the advice here and get one. Super useful and cheap enough for most budgets.