Will a Dremel Work?

The_KaramVit

The_KaramVit

Joined
Jan 29, 2014
Messages
494
Hi There!

Slowly getting sections of my knife-making plan arranged, one at a time. I'm at a point where i've decided to do the grind using files because i know it works and do not yet deserve a nice belt grinder. I'm now thinking of how i'm going to even cut out the blade and handle profile from a blank. One option i've considered is using a dremel. Are there other makers here that use dremels to rough cut the blade and handle profile? A mill is absolutely out of my price range at the moment, though i'd love one, and already have experience using an amazing Bridgeport in school.

Anyway, i'd like to hear from anyone who can help. What kind of speed on the dremel is suitable to cut steel? I'm assuming the speeds will be different for each steel. I'm planning to try my hand in 1084 and AEB-L. That being said, i'm trying to get a dremel that matches the speeds necessary to work with these steels. The lowest speed i researched that a dremel will go is 5000rpm. Is this slow enough? My rule of thumb is to go slow on harder materials like steel but i don't know if this is enough.

Vit
 
hacksaw with the right blade will likely work faster on annealed steel then a dremel with its little and fragile cutting wheel.
 
A harbor freight angle grinder and cutting wheel, and a steady hand might do the trick. While I've never used it to profile a knife, I have used it to shape plenty of metal. You can use the edge of the cutting wheel and "brush" lightly too and get some pretty fine work done. They're $15-20 on sale or with coupon. There so cheap I've got several with different wheels on them, so I don't have to stop and change them.
 
High tension hacksaw and files is what I started with. Also drill holes along the profile and connect the dots with the hacksaw helps especialy on tight curves. You can use the dremel with the little drum sander to clean stuff up.
 
I'll occasionally use the dremel to make a thin cut when I have really interlocked a couple patterns on one bar, and can't get in there with a blade. Those little cutting disks are gone in no time, and are ludicrously expensive for what they are. By the time you make a good pile of knives with those exclusively, you could have bought the HF bandsaw.
 
I have done it, and it is not pretty. The reinforced large cut off disks work well, as do the diamond wheel (metal wheel with holes and diamond grit on the edge). But neither are as quick and decent of a process as using a $10 HF angle grinder and cut off disks (though that is dangerous as they have been know to shatter and send chunks to lodge into legs and faces).

To answer your question, I have found full speed to be best to cut metal with the dremel. I have the cheaper 2 speed model.
 
I use a high tension hacksaw myself, and exactly as PWheeler mentioned, will resort to the Dremel cut off wheels when I have a pattern too close to another, or a long blade where the saw frame gets in the way. BY FAR it is faster using a hacksaw over a dremel. Dremel is really too underpowered for that job (and most jobs) anyway. If you want to use the Dremel, run it at max rpm, no need to go slower.

Side note.....on carbon steel from 1080 thru 52100, I can easily cut out a chef's sized knife with one hacksaw blade, and can actually get two without problem. I tried Elmax for the first time the other day. Hunter sized knife took THREE hacksaw blades to get through it!!!! And I also use files to cut bevels. Annealed carbon steel is no problem. Annealed Elmax is a PITA!!!!!
 
samuraistuart said:
I use a high tension hacksaw myself, and exactly as PWheeler mentioned, will resort to the Dremel cut off wheels when I have a pattern too close to another, or a long blade where the saw frame gets in the way. BY FAR it is faster using a hacksaw over a dremel. Dremel is really too underpowered for that job (and most jobs) anyway. If you want to use the Dremel, run it at max rpm, no need to go slower.

Side note.....on carbon steel from 1080 thru 52100, I can easily cut out a chef's sized knife with one hacksaw blade, and can actually get two without problem. I tried Elmax for the first time the other day. Hunter sized knife took THREE hacksaw blades to get through it!!!! And I also use files to cut bevels. Annealed carbon steel is no problem. Annealed Elmax is a PITA!!!!!
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Thanks for everyone's input! Are there certain hacksaw teeth types that i should look for? I'm probably still going to resort to dremel for sanding the hacksaw surfaces. I'm not expecting a good finish from the hacksaw.
 
I would not recommend a dremel. I have a dremel and pretty much every attachment. I use 9903 for the attached picture.

You could use an angle grinder or what I use, a hf metal cutting bandsaw. It works like a charm with the bimetal blades and for under $210. I got 2 bandsaws, one for Ti & steel that does not go over 90, then one for cf that is like 2100 or something.

Bandsaw:
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Dremel use
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The HF porta bandsaw is so cheap ($80!), I don't see why anyone bothers with:

  • dremels -- like a swiss army knife, it's better than nothing.
  • hacksaws -- tedious, your time is better spent on other tedious tasks like grinds and finish sanding.
  • just a grinder -- I don't have this kind of patience.
  • just a file -- these people actually exist.
  • angle grinders -- dangerous! The motorcycle of metalworking.

Plus a bandsaw will let you get much closer to the line so there's a lot less cleanup with the belt grinder afterwards. The band saw is so fast that I usually will cut a few blanks because I spend more time pulling it out of the box and boxing it back up than actually cutting stuff.
 
zhyla said:
[*]angle grinders -- dangerous! The motorcycle of metalworking.
Click to expand...
I love it! I've never been much of a motorcycle rider, so now whenever I grab my "peanut grinder" I'll imagine I'm all big and bad. VROOM VROOM. Actually I've never understood why people think they are so dangerous. With a hefty pair of gloves and goggles peanut grinders are very useful and not dangerous at all, IMO.
 
Rancho5 said:
I love it! I've never been much of a motorcycle rider, so now whenever I grab my "peanut grinder" I'll imagine I'm all big and bad. VROOM VROOM. Actually I've never understood why people think they are so dangerous. With a hefty pair of gloves and goggles peanut grinders are very useful and not dangerous at all, IMO.
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I don't know what a peanut grinder is, but a 4.5" angle grinder is running 10,000 rpm

You don't want that wheel flying apart

injury photo
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/attachments/face-grinder-jpg-jpg.40073/
 
decisions, decisions. bandsaw and hacksaw still seem like viable options for rough cutting. dremel is still a viable option for sanding and finishing.
 
If this is your first attempt then there is nothing wrong with cutting the profile as close as possible with a metal-cutting hacksaw. Then finish profile the blade outline with a dremel (high grit sanding wheels, carbide bits, etc). An entry level belt grinder will get you there faster, but use what you can easily acquire.

Mike L
 
Like Zhyla said the dremel is the swiss army knife of knife making or pretty much any craft. It will do the job, but is not necessarily the best tool. I've used one for cutting out blanks, and it does the job, especially with the new cut off wheels. If it is thick steel, it will take forever and a day though. If you don't have one, hold off on buying it until you have an understanding of how to perform each process by hand. You will be a lot more careful and make a lot fewer mistakes. I learned that lesson the hard way.

An important thing to mention with any of the wheeled tools is the diameter of the wheel. If you are trying to cut in tight curves with an angle grinder, it ain't gonna happen. Its a mistake I've made before when using an angle grinder and something you need to be cognizant of when choosing both your tools and your pattern.
 
I'd keep an eye out on your nearby craigslist for a used porta-band saw. That, or go to harbor freight / check fleabay.
 
zhyla said:
The HF porta bandsaw is so cheap ($80!), I don't see why anyone bothers with:

  • dremels -- like a swiss army knife, it's better than nothing.
  • hacksaws -- tedious, your time is better spent on other tedious tasks like grinds and finish sanding.
  • just a grinder -- I don't have this kind of patience.
  • just a file -- these people actually exist.
  • angle grinders -- dangerous! The motorcycle of metalworking.

Plus a bandsaw will let you get much closer to the line so there's a lot less cleanup with the belt grinder afterwards. The band saw is so fast that I usually will cut a few blanks because I spend more time pulling it out of the box and boxing it back up than actually cutting stuff.
Click to expand...

I need to thank you personally for the angle grinder tip. I've had one year worth of machine shop experience and honestly never knew the terror lurking in the back room. Ever since i searched "angle grinder injury" last night, i've been scarred. I WILL AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
 
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