1095 HT and Brine Quench Question

[North Star Forge]

Hello all,
Before I begin I just want to say thanks to everyone on here for making this such a great forum, I know I have gleaned alot of great information from you all. I have a couple of questions about 1095 that I was looking for some feedback on. I have been experimenting lately with clay coatings (using satanite) and hamons and was trying to piece some stuff together about best procedures to use, and so here is what I am thinking of trying:

1.) Coating the blade with satanite and letting it partially air dry (15-30mins or so) then slipping it in the kiln.

2.) In the past I have brought the blades up to temp in my forge but after reading more and more on here about the importance of "soak" time to allow full austentizing I am planing on using my electric kiln to bring it up to about 1450 and give it a 4-5 min soak (The blade is a 6" hunter type, with an appleseed grind). What I'm wondering is does this sound about right in relation to temp and time? How long of a period would you use to ramp the kiln and blade up to temp?

2.) I am then planning on quenching in brine preheated to 130 degrees. Would you submerge the entire blade or edge only? Also, What about an interupted quench (3 seconds in 2 seconds out 3 back in etc.) and if it is interupted at what point should I cease this sequence? Also, I left the edge about a 1/16th thick to help prevent cracking, can I go thinner or should I go thicker with brine?

3.) Will brine achieve the same hardness and effect on hamon as water? Or for more activity in the hamon should I try straight warm water?

4.)After hardening, clean it off quick then slip it in the preheated oven at 425 for a couple hours, let it cool to room temp then repeat.

-In short, wondering if I am on the right track. Thanks again for all the help.

-Scott

 

[Danbo]

Let that clay or satanite completely dry before heat treating the blade. Use water or brine at your own risk. A really fast oil is more reliable, and less likely to produce cracked blades.

 

[David Schott]

I personally wouldnt even clean it up after HT. RUN to the oven, haha! I had one delaminate along the hamon as I walked to the oven after cleaning it up....who knows...prolly would have cracked anyways.....

Your HT sounds about what I do....i ramp normally, then soak at around 1415 for 10 mins, then ramp to 1450 for 4 minutes, then quench.

I havent used brine, but assume it will get the blade screaming hard just like water. All my water quenches have been disasters...had one come out fine! I would personally use a high speed oil over water!

I put on my clay, then fire it onto the blade using a torch, then seak any cracks, re-fire it, then leave overnight. I believe you want that clay bone dry when it hits the forge, although I have also used wet clay and let the ramp take the water out of it and had good results as well....

 

[jhiggins]

I put on my clay, then fire it onto the blade using a torch, then seak any cracks, re-fire it, then leave overnight. I believe you want that clay bone dry when it hits the forge, although I have also used wet clay and let the ramp take the water out of it and had good results as well....

David, I would do a stress-relief cycle at 400F or around there for about an hour or so after the clay would be dry to the touch. This would relax any stresses you derived from grinding and heating. I would definitely do this pre-treatment if you use that torch to set the clay.

 

[North Star Forge]

Thank you all for the input. David, I will definitly go straight to the oven after the quench! I have quenched some smaller puukko style blades in brine with satanite and havn't run into any problems, but those were brought up to temp in the forge relatively quickly and then quenched so I wonder if more problems arise with larger blades and greater heat build up.

Jeff, am I understanding it right that you are saying to put it in the oven at 400 for about an hour before going into the kiln? I usually thermal cycle 3 times before anealing and do all of my shaping and finishing work by hand with files and abrasives on push sticks. Would you still recomend stress relief? just curious.

Thanks for the help all! -Scott