Method for automatically setting the cutting gap of a cutting machine for cutting strand-like product gauges from a food in slices, which comprises - a blade which can be driven in rotation about a blade axis by means of a blade motor and which comprises a cutting edge on the periphery that defines a blade plane (3"), - a gauge guide having a mating edge for interaction with the cutting edge, by the method steps of a) approaching the idle-running, rotating blade along the blade axis in an approach direction until it touches the gauge guide, b) stopping the approach movement of the blade, c) moving the blade back in the spacing direction by a distance corresponding to the desired size of the cutting gap, measured in the direction of the blade axis, - in or before step a) the idle-running torque of the blade motor or of the blade being measured, characterised in that - in step b) the approach movement of the blade is stopped - as soon as an increase in the idle-running torque by at least a fixed first torque difference is determined, - or as soon as it is determined that a fixed absolute torque threshold value is reached, in step b), after stopping of the approach movement, - a plurality of blade revolutions being performed with unchanged power supply to the blade motor, - a check being made as to whether, during this time, the idle-running torque does not drop by more than a fixed second torque difference, - the return movement according to step c) being started only in the positive case. - a blade which can be driven in rotation about a blade axis by means of a blade motor and which comprises a cutting edge on the periphery that defines a blade plane (3"), - a gauge guide having a mating edge for interaction with the cutting edge, by the method steps of a) approaching the idle-running, rotating blade along the blade axis in an approach direction until it touches the gauge guide, b) stopping the approach movement of the blade, c) moving the blade back in the spacing direction by a distance corresponding to the desired size of the cutting gap, measured in the direction of the blade axis, - in or before step a) the idle-running torque of the blade motor or of the blade being measured, characterised in that - in step b) the approach movement of the blade is stopped - as soon as an increase in the idle-running torque by at least a fixed first torque difference is determined, - or as soon as it is determined that a fixed absolute torque threshold value is reached, a) approaching the idle-running, rotating blade along the blade axis in an approach direction until it touches the gauge guide, b) stopping the approach movement of the blade, c) moving the blade back in the spacing direction by a distance corresponding to the desired size of the cutting gap, measured in the direction of the blade axis, - in or before step a) the idle-running torque of the blade motor or of the blade being measured, characterised in that - in step b) the approach movement of the blade is stopped - as soon as an increase in the idle-running torque by at least a fixed first torque difference is determined, - or as soon as it is determined that a fixed absolute torque threshold value is reached, - as soon as an increase in the idle-running torque by at least a fixed first torque difference is determined, - or as soon as it is determined that a fixed absolute torque threshold value is reached, in step b), after stopping of the approach movement, - a plurality of blade revolutions being performed with unchanged power supply to the blade motor, - a check being made as to whether, during this time, the idle-running torque does not drop by more than a fixed second torque difference, - the return movement according to step c) being started only in the positive case. - a plurality of blade revolutions being performed with unchanged power supply to the blade motor, - a check being made as to whether, during this time, the idle-running torque does not drop by more than a fixed second torque difference, - the return movement according to step c) being started only in the positive case.