1075 redneck HT

[sulsaMatt]

I found a nice piece of 1075. what would be a reasonable "backyard" quench material? I use ATF for 1095 w/ positive results. Will ATF be too slow? Mineral oil? Water? this will be on a small fighter type. Any and all help is appreciated!

 

[JoshEarl]

If you're happy with the results you're getting from 1095 using ATF, then you'll be really happy with the results using ATF and 1075.

You're not getting full hardness from your 1095 if you're using ATF, because this steel requires a very fast quench. But 1075 can handle a slightly slower quench, so ATF will work better.

There are better options in both cases. Whatever you use, try heating it up to 130 F or so--it'll speed the quench.

Josh

 

[Tai Goo]

A redneck heat treat?

...Drain the oil out of your tractor, mix in some chicken fat, hog lard, corn oil, get it hot... and use that for your quenching medium.

 

[sulsaMatt]

Thanks, I used atf @ 130f on a wsk, I then used the WSK to build a 5 man shelter. That included chopping dead and down oak @ 4+" dia. 7 hrs of INTENSE use w/ no visible wear. Save some finish wear. is this still considered a shallow quench? will it eventually sharpen away the desireable jacket steel? Did the mass of the knife make a difference? This blade being considerably smaller, should have better results? Sweet! A more controlled environment is in my future, but first is my Grizzly mach. Gotta keep selling what I can do to afford better equipment. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

 

[sulsaMatt]

A redneck heat treat?

...Drain the oil out of your tractor, mix in some chicken fat, hog lard, corn oil, get it hot... and use that for your quenching medium.

Were going green here on the farm: I plow on bicycle, chik'ns are all on the Adkins diet, hogs just started power walking, and all the corn oil is being sold to make ethanol, I guess I'll have to stick w/ ATF

 

[Phil Dwyer]

Were going green here on the farm: I plow on bicycle, chik'ns are all on the Adkins diet, hogs just started power walking, and all the corn oil is being sold to make ethanol, I guess I'll have to stick w/ ATF

That must mean you have plenty of elbow grease around. It might work.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

ATF and mineral oil are faster quench than vegetable oil, so I think you're on the right track if you're going to forgo a proper quench oil. 1095 quenched in vegetable oil will largely be a fine pearlite instead of martensite, I'm not sure about 1075. Heated ATF or mineral oil might achieve 100% martensite, so you're probably making a good guess. I personally wouldn't sell a knife quenched this way, but I wouldn't hesitate to make one for myself, with the understanding that the HT may be sub optimal.

Shallow hardening steels are shallow relative to something like D2, which will be full hardness all the way through a 6" thick mold. Your shallow hardening steel knives are probably hard all the way through. The "hard edge" will never wear away.

 

[J.S. Carter]

yup i asked this same question about shallow hardening steels a few days ago her's a link to that thread. In something as thin as a blade they are through hardened

Jason S. Carter

 

[sulsaMatt]

I personally wouldn't sell a knife quenched this way, but I wouldn't hesitate to make one for myself, with the understanding that the HT may be sub optimal.

Thanks for the heads up. Currently all my sellers are tempered Nicholson files
Thank you Mr. Morris for a sound technique for this. I probably should stick w/ files for now and save the 1075 for myself. When you're trying to build a name there is no room for "sub-optimal"