Recommendation? 1084 steel HT advice please

S

Striker12

Joined
May 31, 2020
Messages
8
Hi everyone,

Have started my first knife using 1084 steel and used a file jig to make the bevel. I have a couple questions if anyone can help. Firstly whats a good way of making a smooth transition between the bevel and ricasso when you haven't got a belt grinder. As much as i try i am still getting some inconsistency when using file jig at the handle end.
And secondly any tips on heat treating when my blade point is quite sharp. I probably got a bit carried away with the file and made the point quite sharp. Will the forge ruin the point by over heating? Im using an old farriers forge and using coal. Thanks in advance
Ob9byBf
 
You can use a jig at the ricasso just 2 bits of hardened steel drilled and bolted at both ends,blade fits in between and tighten when you have it where you want bevel to start
Normal steel would do in your case as you are using a file
The steel edge helps form nice crisp plunge line
Your pic isn't showing for me but too thin at edge and it will warp
Or uneven edge it could warp too,like thinner at tip
 
Arrange your coals or position your blade so you heat the tip and edge up last. I use a homemade coal forge myself. As you probably already know, your better off leaving the edge a little thick so you don’t overheat it during heat treat.
 
I don't have any great tips for heat treating in a coal forge, but I know how to get your image to show. You have to copy the link to the image, not the link to the imgur post. Maybe you could measure the thickness near the edge in a few spots with calipers and post the measurements here to get some feedback whether it is too thin for heat treating. I have had no issues with 0.03"-0.04", but that's in an electric oven. Good luck with the knife, it looks really nice.

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Thanks for the tips guys, I'll make some addons to my jig thanks john and set something up like you mention. I think maybe now i could just sand out the ricasso carefully with an edge of sandpaper to smooth it out. My edge is probably a little too thin unfortunately measuring at just over 0.02. Could one way to avoid warping be to slightly thicken edge by grinding slightly flat (not that i really want too) and re bevelling after HT? Either that or just see how it goes as it will be a learning curve however it turns out. And appreciate it Hubert was having trouble with the whole picture showing thing :)

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The edge looks fine in the photo. If you do make the edge too thin in doing the bevels, just file it back a tad to thicken it.

I would suggest sanding out those deep scratches to 200 grit before doing the HT. Also, don't forget to drill the tang holes before HT. When all is sanded out, thicken the edge as needed.

With coal, HT is all about keeping things form overheating. You want just the right airflow to get the blade to around 1500°F. Make a groove in the coals and place three firebricks to make a tunnel over the coals. The blade can be placed in the tunnel and moved in and out as needed to evenly heat the edge. Pay attention to the edge and tip to avoid overheating it or burning the steel. You have to move the blade around in the tunnel/coals pretty much constantly. Check the blade with a magnet as it starts getting red. The magnet will stop sticking around 1400°F. When the blade is just about half a shade brighter red than non-magnetic, and the edge is evenly colored, quench the blade in a gallon of Canola oil or a commercial quenchant. Don't worry if the spine area and tang aren't fully up to color, it is the edge that needs to properly harden. Test the edge with a file to see if it skates. If it seems to bite into the steel, file a few more strokes to make sure it isn't just a layer of decarb you are feeling. If the file continues to bite/file the edge, re-do the HT and get the blade hotter by one shade of red. If it is good, temper the blade in the kitchen oven at 400-450°F for an hour, dunk in water to cool off, and temper another hour.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
The edge looks fine in the photo. If you do make the edge too thin in doing the bevels, just file it back a tad to thicken it.

I would suggest sanding out those deep scratches to 200 grit before doing the HT. Also, don't forget to drill the tang holes before HT. When all is sanded out, thicken the edge as needed.

With coal, HT is all about keeping things form overheating. You want just the right airflow to get the blade to around 1500°F. Make a groove in the coals and place three firebricks to make a tunnel over the coals. The blade can be placed in the tunnel and moved in and out as needed to evenly heat the edge. Pay attention to the edge and tip to avoid overheating it or burning the steel. You have to move the blade around in the tunnel/coals pretty much constantly. Check the blade with a magnet as it starts getting red. The magnet will stop sticking around 1400°F. When the blade is just about half a shade brighter red than non-magnetic, and the edge is evenly colored, quench the blade in a gallon of Canola oil or a commercial quenchant. Don't worry if the spine area and tang aren't fully up to color, it is the edge that needs to properly harden. Test the edge with a file to see if it skates. If it seems to bite into the steel, file a few more strokes to make sure it isn't just a layer of decarb you are feeling. If the file continues to bite/file the edge, re-do the HT and get the blade hotter by one shade of red. If it is good, temper the blade in the kitchen oven at 400-450°F for an hour, dunk in water to cool off, and temper another hour.
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I do most of my stock removal with a 60 grit belt. How thin do you recommend grinding the edge before stepping up to higher grits? I have a habit of removing way to much material.
 
60 grit is for shaping the rough bevels. I would stop 60 grit at .080" edge thickness.
By the time you do 120 grit, 220 grit, and 400 grit the edge will be around .030. That is a good place for HT.
If the edge gets too thin, just sand/file it back a tad.
 
Thanks heaps for the HT advice. Seemed to go along pretty smoothly. Used a square steel pipe and squeezed it in vice to make it a diamond shape and rested in the coals. This allowed me to keep the edge up and not touching anything. Blade came out of the quench well and sounded hard with the file test, Really happy with the end result. Used some Tasmanian blackwood scales that were really easy to work apart from the black hands from all the tannin in the wood :) Will have to test the blade out on a deer this week.

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Striker12 said:
Will have to test the blade out on a deer this week.
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Deer this week? Where are you located? As my profile says I'm in South Alabama and it's way too hot for deer hunting around here this time of year.

BTW, your knife sure looks good.
 
Ken H> said:
Deer this week? Where are you located? As my profile says I'm in South Alabama and it's way too hot for deer hunting around here this time of year.

BTW, your knife sure looks good.
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Thanks Ken, I actually live in New Zealand so plenty of deer around and hunting anytime of year. Winter here at moment too so good hunting weather
 
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