Gas axing indeed.
If you're cutting in from an edge, make sure the cutting stream is slightly off the workpiece and angled down and away when you trigger it, or you'll get white hot iron in your socks/eyes/fly.

If you're cutting round pipe, chisel a notch to start on and let the hole blow clear before you cut in.

Thick iron and cast pieces: start at the bottom and let the stream blow the melt clear at 60 degrees. Run the mixture slightly rich, or it'll spark like a bastard as old cast iron has lot of graphite in it.

HTH.
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Tue 22 Nov 2011, 23:51, Reply)