Angle grinder cut off disc, not so great.

S

SethO

Joined
Mar 12, 2015
Messages
69
I tried using a cut off disc to cut out my blade profile and it sucks, It barely cuts through the metal, it puts a nice groove in it and that's it. Am i doing something wrong or just have crappy cut off discs? I cut my last knife out with a hacksaw which is kinda fun and hard work. I will post my knife pictures when i finish it in a couple weeks, right now am waiting on quench oil.
 
Get the thin cutoff discs. They work much better. They wear out quicker though.

Don't do what I did, and leave the grinding wheel on while trying to cut out a blank.... Exercise in futility...
 
HF Portable Band saw was my next step up from the angle grinder. Way better and reasonable cost.
 
I am using the thinnest disc. I wasn't putting enough pressure on while cutting. I know your suppose to let the grinder do the work, i was just scared because, i know the cut off type disc can shatter. I wore all safety gear and always keep the guard on.
 
Carbon steel I cut well outside the line with a torch now but I wore out several Dremels. You can't cut right to the line but can get close. I use a bench grinder for blade shape only before I go to the belt to finish the profile and grind the edge. Also can't use the torch on stainless. (The bench grinder saves on belts)
 
You do have to use a little pressure on the grinder or the wheel won't cut, and you won't shed the dull abrasive off the wheel. And of course the cardinal rule for cutting wheels after guards and glasses...straight cuts only, never twist the wheel in the work.

I tell my students when using an angle grinder to use as much pressure on the tool against the work as they would use when spreading peanut butter on bread. The analogy seems to work for most of them and results in enough pressure on the tool to get some work done without bogging the grinder down with too much pressure.
 
I used the HF angle grinder with Dewalt cut off wheels for about 6 months. Worked awesome until my grinder burnt up. Replaced the brushes AND bought a new grinder. But ultimately I ended up getting the HF Portable Bandsaw. Best investment yet, other than my 2x72.
 
I can't decide what i should get next. It will be either a Beaumont kmg belt grinder or a evenheat knife oven. I will be on the hunt for a vertical bandsaw.
 
The vertical bandsaw is a smart move for sure. But with the right clamping, a steady bench and the correct technique the hand hacksaw will cut the steel like butter.
The belt grinder will help a lot with refining the profile...and every shaping of the blade
 
I have become somewhat of a surgeon with my crappy angle grinder and cutoff wheel setup. When that's all you got, you get pretty good and comfortable at it. You can cut more than halfway through a piece of annealed steel and kinda bend/break off the piece you were trying to cut off, but be careful not to bend your blade.

My suggestion to avoid literal hangups with a cutoff wheel, is to buy your steel stock that is already close to the finished width of the knives you wanna make. This way, you are just using the cutoff wheel to cut the bar off, or just knocking off corners and such. Use your belt grinder to profile your knife blanks after you cut the rough shape.
 
The Metabo wheels are some of the best and the price is competitive. A zip cut disc is cutting at max. when it feels like its being drawn into the steel.

Fred
 
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