1095 Heat Treat

Joined
Jul 7, 2015
Messages
7
Hi so I am making my own kitchen knife out of 1095 steel, and have a couple questions regarding heat treatment.

This is my first time heat treating myself, but I do have access to this forge http://www.piehtoolco.com/contents/media/nclb-oelowboy75e.gif . I practiced on it earlier with some 1095 scrap pieces. I was suprised at how fast the metal got hot, but I took it too non-magnetic, then tried to hold it at that temperature but I think I took it past. The tip got the hottest, and started to flake/lose scale. Is that bad? Finally, I quenched it in vegetable oil, and noticed the part that was losing scale had spots, whereas further in (where it got less hot) was all black.


So, basically my questions are:

1: What's the best method to hold a knife at temperature with this kind of forge?

2: After I quench the blade am I looking for the even black coat, or the "spotting"

Thanks!
 
If you can't at least measure the temperature in your forge I think 1095 is the wrong steel to be using. Can you add a thermocouple so you know what's going on in there?
 
If you can't at least measure the temperature in your forge I think 1095 is the wrong steel to be using. Can you add a thermocouple so you know what's going on in there?



There is a thermocoupler on it, but it's for the igniter. How would it measure the temperature? And is it possible to slow down the gas supply so the forge won't get hot super fast?
 
The tip got the hottest, and started to flake/lose scale. Is that bad?
Yes



I've read that, but it doesn't really answer my question? Thanks though!


You must have missed this


Do a litle reading and figure out what you are doing before screwing up and then learning why.



For heat treating yourself with minimal equipment, find Eutectoid steel and quench in Canola oil.
1084FG sold by Aldo Bruno is formulated for Knifemaking, Cheap & made for DIY heat-treat.
http://njsteelbaron.com/
Phone # 862-203-8160
His telephone service is better than his website.

Suppliers List
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=699736

Heat Treating
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9143684&postcount=7

You can send blades out for heat treating $10 or $15 for perfect results

Air Hardening Stainless Steel Only
Buck Pau Bos -Be sure to check the Shipping and Price tabs
http://www.buckknives.com/about-knives/heat-treating/
http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/privacy.php#services

Oil Hardening Carbon Steels and Air Hardening Stainless Steel
http://www.petersheattreat.com/cutlery.html
http://www.knifemaker.ca/ (Canadian)

FAQ's
http://www.hypefreeblades.com/faq.html

1095 is a bad choice for a beginner with limited equipment to HT themselves
1095 is "Hypereutectioid" and needs precise temperature control and proper fast quench oil Like Parks 50 or Houghton K
Kevin Cashen - 1095 - hypereutectoid steel
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/673173-Working-the-three-steel-types



Forging Books:


Jim Hrisoulas
The Complete Bladesmith: Forging Your Way to Perfection
The Pattern-Welded Blade: Artistry in Iron
The Master Bladesmith: Advanced Studies in Steel



The answers are in those books ^^^


Research more on
Muffle
Thermocouple and PID readout
Reducing flame vs Oxidizing flame
 
Back
Top