Looking for a particular kind of tool...

bquinlan

bquinlan

Joined
Jan 5, 2001
Messages
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The rather odd knife designs I am trying to make feature a large and somewhat irregular cutout in the interior of the handle. Cutting out that piece has proven to be a ridiculous amount of work, and I am once again looking for better ways to do it.

Today it hit me that what I really need is something like a bench-mounted Sawzall (basically the reciprocating saw equivalent to a table saw). So far I have not found anything that comes even close to that. Has anyone run across such a tool?

Another things I've been wondering about... I have seen "metal-cutting" blades for scroll saws. Has anyone tried cutting out knife blanks with that kind of rig? My band saw does a great job on the exteriors, but I need something that can cut out irregular sections on the inside of the blank too.

Any other suggestions?

--Bob Q
 
Manually, it would be a jeweler's saw. Drill holes and connect the dots then file. (I guess that's in the "ridiculous" category.) Another thought would be a Dremel mounted as if it were in a router stand, with a carbide "tile-cutting" bur. Just a couple thoughts too late at night.
 
I appreciate the suggestions! I haven't tried a tile-cutting bit on my dremel yet. I'll have to experiment with that. (I did try a reinforced cutoff disc but it was surprisingly slow and didn't handle the curves well.)

I need to get a jewler's saw and try the "connect-the-dots" method. I've been drilling just a couple of much larger holes and using a hacksaw to connect them. Getting the curves right with that arrangement takes me a lot of extra work.

--Bob Q
 
I have a jeweler's saw, and have used it on a file I annealed. I don't know how soft the file is compared to annealed steel bought from a company, but I can say it was a very slow process. Jewelry blades are meant to cut soft metals and the one I used was blunted about the first 3/4" into the file. A vise and the sharp pop of a hammer finished the sawing :) I'm thinking the file needs to be annealed a little more. I'll post again when I have time to buy steel and try it out instead of using recycled steels.

Bryan
 
Check with outfits that do water jet cutting. Normally they charge a minimum fee. What is the steel you are working on?
 
I have several Jewelers saws and wouldn't be without them.

To get to your problem, I have one Jewelers saw that I have mounted a section of wire saw (The stuff you get at gun shows. Has a ring ate each end to hold with)
It will cut anything in seconds. I once cut a bicycle lock with it. I use this to make the initial cutout for my guards.
 
What I do for cut outs is use an abrasive blade. For larger ones I use the side grinder in a jig that holds the grinder solid and I move the work into the cut off. For clean up I use the drimmel with the cut off and finish with a file.
It's not as hard to control as it sounds.
Lynn
 
How about using a jig saw with a bimetal blade,use one with the finest teeth you can find , use a file to finish,,ultimate tool would be a milling machine, maybe you know someone that can do that operation for you....
 
How about one of those round hacksaw blades? I have one, and I think it has carbide particles. I picked it up at one of our local discount store. The blades are about 1/8" diameter or so, and would allow you to do some serious cut out work. Just drill a hole first, etc.
 
allan lanigan said:
How about using a jig saw with a bimetal blade,use one with the finest teeth you can find , use a file to finish,,ultimate tool would be a milling machine, maybe you know someone that can do that operation for you....
Click to expand...


beat me to it :D
yeah 20.00 bucks or so from Black & Decker.
just mount it up-side -down.
but I like my Miller :D a lot of good Idea's here.
 
If you know someone with a plasma cutter, you could make a template for the nozzel to follow, leaving extra material for the finish filing. This would do it. As would drilling a couple of really big holes (use a clamping fixture!), combines with several little ones. I don't hear of the plasma rigs being used much in blade profiling, maybe a heat thing? Easier on the steel than oxy-acet though. Anyway, let us know what you come up with.
 
I would use a row of holes cut with annular cutters. McMaster-Carr and MSC both sell annulars. Don't bother with the ones that go for the mag drills (unless you have one). Instead, use the annulars designed for sheet metals, and the matching arbor.
 
Raymond Richard said:
Check with outfits that do water jet cutting. Normally they charge a minimum fee. What is the steel you are working on?
Click to expand...

I'm currently working with ATS-34 and will probably try some D2 soon.

I haven't run across anyplace that does water jet cutting yet. Can anyone give me an address for one? The cost is likely to be more than I can manage, but it would be the ideal solution otherwise.

--Bob Q
 
peter nap said:
To get to your problem, I have one Jewelers saw that I have mounted a section of wire saw
Click to expand...

Now that's an interesting idea! I think I have what I need lying around. I'll give it a try. (I wouldn't have thought a wire saw would do very well on knife steel...)

--Bob Q
 
I've actually tried using my cheap jig saw, but I have yet to find a blade that can handle the steel. Guess I need to go on-line to find a real one instead of using what I can get locally. The last "metal cutting blade" I tried cut about 1/8" before losing the last of its teeth. :rolleyes:

If I can find a decent blade for it I will try clamping the sucker upside down and see if that does the trick. Thanks for the suggestion!

--Bob Q
 
(I wouldn't have thought a wire saw would do very well on knife steel...)

That is one of the few things that will cut the High Security Master locks.
You can cut a hardened knife blade in half. They are amazing. I buy a couple of dozen every year.
 
I don't think anyone has mentioned using a bandsaw? You can buy length of bandsaw blade stock and little cheesy jigs off ebay or make your own to silver solder your blade together. Then you heat the blade up and take apart the blade to get your finished project out. There used to be a bandsaw blade welding tutorial on Rob Frinks site. I don't see it now. I bootlegged it and saved it somewhere just in case. I would have to dig out some disks to find it, I don't even have the same computer any more. But I did save it.
Ric
 
also, there is such animal as a die filer. Pretty sure you can put your file through your work and then on the machine. Actually I have seen them with the whole top part removed and just a 3 sided file out of the hole on the table.
Die Filer on ebay
 
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