Yeah, that's what I was thinking for the main advantages and disadvantages of stock removal versus forging. I currently use stock removal until I get an anvil and hammers, but there's just something really cool and fascinating I find with forging a blade. It has a kinda.......mystical feel to it in a way. Like, this is the way we made our tools for over 2,000 years, and I just really love the art of it. I guess as a guy, it satisfies my love of fire, smashing with a hammer, and then out of that you create a true work of art, and make something beautiful. I just love that, and that's what really got me into knife making. Taking a raw piece of steel, and making something useful and beautiful that can last many generations to come. Can't get over how cool that is to me. So I guess that's one of the reasons I would choose to forge, even if stock removal is an option.
For now though, I find stock removal a really practical and easy to learn way of making knives. My family's horse farrier gave me some old horse shoes that I can practice forging on. It's not great knife steel, but it would make for a decent letter opener, and a little something to help get my practice up to par.