1095 Heat Treat Problems

[siemernj]

Hi so I have about 5 knives of 1095 steel (from NewjerseySteel) that I was able to get waterjet cut, and then I grinded the edges down to about .06" prior to heat treat.

For heat treat I stuck all 5 in an evenheat kiln, let it get to 1500, then quenched in vegetable oil. All seemed well, except the knives still got scratched by a file. I figured that the steel didn't get up to non-magnetic. I cleaned the scale off, and this time just put one knife in the kiln, then quenched in the oil as fast as I could 1-2 seconds. Still the knives got scratched by a file.

So I figured it was my quenchant oil. I had a friend experienced with 1095 try to heat treat them with his Parks 50. I cleaned the scale off, yet I still don't think they hardened. I stuck them in the oven to temper at 400 and after the 2 hours the color didn't change much. My previous 1095 knives get a "rainbow" color on them if properly hardened.

So does anyone know whats up? Should I normalize/anneal them and start over?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

If you filed a few more and harder strokes, you would have hit the hard steel.

You are filing the layer of decarb. Take one of those blade to the grinder and hit the belt it will be spraying sparks.

This is a common first knife issue that seems to be a problem where there is none.

 

[siemernj]

If you filed a few more and harder strokes, you would have hit the hard steel.

You are filing the layer of decarb. Take one of those blade to the grinder and hit the belt it will be spraying sparks.

This is a common first knife issue that seems to be a problem where there is none.

Haha, well thanks! I did not know that was a thing, because I had succesfully hardened a couple 1095 blades prior, and they were file hard right after heat treat. But I did just grind away the top decarb, and it is definitely hard underneath!

Thanks