What is the best cutting wheel for my 4 1/2" angle grinder to cut annealed steel knif

LARRYZ10

LARRYZ10

Joined
Feb 6, 2010
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Hi, Which brand and type of cutting wheel should I use on my 4 1/2" angle grindr to rough out annealed steel knife blanks before cutting a precise profile with a belt grinder? I see lots of cheap cutoff wheels but I want something of high quality to cut streel knife blanks in lieu of a band saw which I do not have the space or money for right now. Suggestions would be appreciated and please tell me where to shop to find good wheels. Thanks, Larry
 
Don't know about good ones, but I always used the cheap 1/16" cutoff wheels from harbor freight when they'd go on sale. Something like 99 cents for 10 I think, been a while since I used one. Never had any trouble with them on annealed steel or otherwise. Sometimes you break them and they also just wear down, can't see any point in buying expensive ones.
 
This is a tool I use all day every day. Assuming your grinder takes wheels with a 7/8" hole. Go with 6" diameter wheels. Yes you have to take the guard off. The 4" wheels have only about 3/4" of useable wheel before the gearbox starts getting in the way of what you are cutting. Get the 1/16" or .060 thick wheels. The .040 wheels will flap and are dangerous. Get wheels that are labled for cutting stainless. They last longer. The general purpose wheels disappear fast when you start cutting tool steels. Dewalt makes good ones but they're pricey at places like Home Depot. ($3.89 ea) find a tool shop or welding supply you should be able to get good wheels for about $1.80
Don't waste your time with Harbor freight, they are general purpose wheels and you will use them up about 5x as fast
 
I never had trouble cutting CR and HR carbon steel with them, let alone annealed steels. If you can buy them on the cheap, 50 cents for five of them is still a much better buy than two bucks for one in my book.

Could be that I'm mistaken, as I never had any cause to buy a more expensive wheel. I cut out a lot of knife blanks with the cheap ones though.
 
I want to thank everyone who offered a suggestion. I guess I will buy some inexpensive wheels and a couple real nice Dewalt, Milwakee, and or Pferd wheels and see if the expense is worth it. I appreciate you guys. This forum has answered many questions for me this year. Last year I asked no one and had many problems with all kinds of things you guys have already conquered. Thanks again, Larry
 
+ 1 on the walters!! I am in the welding sup. bus. and we sell the cheap ones up tot eh exp. ones. Walters(if used correctly) will out last any of them. Norton also makes one, that will give the walter a run for its money, but cant remeber what the name is off the top of my head. With any of them, let teh wheel do the work, and you will get more life out them.
 
I use Walter Zip cut and they are worth every penny they outcut them all and do not fly apart very easily. Very thin kerf.

Bob
 
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