[I]woops don't forget the flow control valves!
Yes I had to put on a limiter on the exust, after cut through the ram takes off at mach 8. [I]
Flow control valves do not help much with air.
Use an air over hydraulic system.
You want 800 lbs force so if you use two cylinders, one at each end of the foot plate, and your air supply works at 100psi you need cylinders with a bore of 2.5". Each cylinder will give you about 490lbs force so you have more than enough.
But you do not supply air directly to the cylinders, you have a reservoir filled with oil and this is connected to the cylinders through a needle valve to control the flow. The air supply goes to the reservoir through the valve you control.
You only need single acting cylinders because you can rig up a spring return.
The reason for using the air over hydraulic is that when you turn the air on it takes the reservoir up to full pressure very quickly. The pressure is applied to the cylinders through the oil but because there is a flow control valve the rate of movement of the shear can be controlled. And, most importantly, when the cut is almost complete and the required force is getting less, the flow control stops everything banging through with a great rush.
An open mind is a virtue...so long as all the common sense has not leaked out.