Rough profiling question

DLBrothers

DLBrothers

Well-Known Member
I was in the shop today repairing some things and when I got done, I thought about doing some knife work. Problem is I don't have any knives rough cut out. I'd have to get out the Porta-band and cut one out. I HATE THAT PART OF THE PROCESS! It is aggregating and slow and......just pisses me off as blades run off the wheels, get bound up, break, etc.
I was wondering if anybody out there uses a plasma cutter to rough out profiles? I have considered getting one. I'd be cutting annealed stock. Anybody with experience with this? Would it adversely effect the HT process?
Also - is there anybody doing water jet cutting for hire? I'd gladly pay to get a dozen or so blanks of my design cut out.
 
Just a though. Have you tried just cutting a length of bar stock and profiling it entirely with an old ceramic belt. Way faster and easier than a bandsaw.
 
I have done that before. I don't know if it was any faster for me and eats a belt up pretty quick and burns my fingers :sad: I know you said old belt....they get REALLY hot. I am also stingy and try to place my designs at angles on the stock and the blade often overlap each other. (I know, that's a little overboard)
But...I may do it again because the Porta-band blades aren't cheap and blade steel eats them up fast as well.
I'd really just prefer to pay somebody to do it.:biggrin: I've got about 4-5 designs that historically sell well so I'd love to have a stack of each. Then if a custom call comes along, I can deal with it.
 
I get my blade patterns water jet cut. Its worth the cost to me to have it done. A plasma cutter would/could burn a lot of steel. You would have to oversize then by at least 1/8" or more and then profile.

Buy some of my Rhino Finger Skins for the burnt finger tips.
Sorry i can't help you with the stingy part. :biggrin:
 
I prefer to forge my blades, I have a portaband, but use it for other purposes. I'd be tempted to get out the 4 1/2" angle grinder with a cutting disc, then grinding wheel if I was going to rough cut one out and get it close enough to put to the sander.
 
I tried a plasma cutter once. wont do it again. took forever to grind the hard edge off. I now just use a portaband. cut the length and corners off. then finish up on a 36 grit belt. have done around 7 knifes this way and the 36 is still kicking. if im making a knife with a 1 1/4 wide blade I use 1 1/2 steel so I don't have a lot to grind off for the handle. I have a bench grinder don't like it for some reason.
 
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Try putting it on a stand. With both hands free you can control it better. Stock is cheaper than time. Open up your pattern to make the cuts easier and faster to do. You will save time and it equals money also. An open pattern will break less blades and maybe save you from a nasty injury.
 
I use a ceramic belt. Quick and easy. Oh, for sure I will profile it a little bit on the bandsaw, but only to within 1/4" or so.
 
TacticallySharp said:
View attachment 46401

Try putting it on a stand. With both hands free you can control it better. Stock is cheaper than time. Open up your pattern to make the cuts easier and faster to do. You will save time and it equals money also. An open pattern will break less blades and maybe save you from a nasty injury.
Click to expand...

Could you please take more pictures of your stand? That looks like a simple design.
 
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