Rough Cutting Knife Blanks with an angle grinder?

nothing really safe about it. Unless you are confident with your control of a grinder i wouldnt try it. And if you do try it , do not use cutoff disks (they will explode and kill children in the vacinity) , use the edge of a thick grinding disk like this http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-half-inch-grinding-wheel-39677.html

I myself started out this way and have made a few knives this way. It also makes very very nasty dust. so have some sort of respirator.

But if you really want to be safe i would save up for a portaband and a swag offroad table.

there will be some heat effected areas on the cut edges so be careful not to burn yourself.
 
JZknives said:
nothing really safe about it. Unless you are confident with your control of a grinder i wouldnt try it. And if you do try it , do not use cutoff disks (they will explode and kill children in the vacinity) , use the edge of a thick grinding disk like this http://www.harborfreight.com/4-1-2-half-inch-grinding-wheel-39677.html

I myself started out this way and have made a few knives this way. It also makes very very nasty dust. so have some sort of respirator.

But if you really want to be safe i would save up for a portaband and a swag offroad table.

there will be some heat effected areas on the cut edges so be careful not to burn yourself.
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Thanks
 
You're going to need one of those full face shields and make sure you arent near anything that can be set on fire. Keed the guard between you and the blade at all times. Make sure your work piece is firmly clamped and hold the tool very securely because they can kick back sorta like a chainsaw. Be mindful of overheating your disk, IE take it slow. Cutoff disks do work, hence the reason they are still sold in stores... but they do have a tendancy to fly to pieces... sharp... fast... flying peces., especially if any side to side stress is applied to them or if the work piece bends towards the end of the cut and applies clamping pressure. I use them frequently but I'm big enough for the kick back feel neglible to me, and I wear the appropriate safety gear. I've had disks explode or fly away in chunks before, but the guard and safety equipment kept me safe. Not everyone is so lucky. My old man is a welder / iron worker since before I was born and has used them more than I ever will without being injured, but he's cautious. Even at almost 30 years old he was weary of letting me use one lol... of course in his eyes I'm still a kid and he's weary of letting me use any power tools... fathers lol.
 
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I don't use an angle grinder to cut out knife blanks but use to use one for a job I had and the main things I learned were as follows:
1) find a better tool to do the job
2) if you have to use an angle grinder inspect the wheels
3) make sure the work is very secure and know that the wheel will eventually bind and move in the direction it is rotating
4) wear as much protective stuff as possible (including respirator)
5) don't use grinding wheels as cut off wheels and cut off wheels as grinding wheels.

Please be very careful with this tool....it was really designed as a grinder not a cutting tool.
 
hammon172 said:
do not buy wheels from harbor freight. lowes atwoods or walmart all have quality disks.
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i have been using harbor freight grinder and cut off wheels and never had one break. been through about 70 wheels or so. that being said for the extra 1$ for a pack it is probably good advice.


use the right tool for the job. thats safest.
 
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