1095 minimal heat treat

Josh K

Josh K

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Sep 29, 2008
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I'm making some items out of 1095 stock. Finished pieces are going to be about 0.02" thick. I'm looking for a heat treat recipe I can use with minimal specialized tools. Essentially I have a MAPP gas torch and a standard oven (500F max) at my disposal.

It need to be strong, but not so brittle that it snaps. I would like to be able to put a tight 90* bend in the finished item without it snapping.
 
Depending on how tight your radius is you may be over the deformation limit of the steel without HT, I dont see how you can do this after HT.

If I was to attempt this with 1095 I would heat to cherry red and bend around a mold to make my bend, reheat, and quench in a warm brine solution. You can then temper to meet what ever final hardness you desire.
 
Patrickknives said:
Depending on how tight your radius is you may be over the deformation limit of the steel without HT, I dont see how you can do this after HT.

If I was to attempt this with 1095 I would heat to cherry red and bend around a mold to make my bend, reheat, and quench in a warm brine solution. You can then temper to meet what ever final hardness you desire.
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Well I'm assuming the HT is with hardening and then tempering. I'm not molding it around something. Currently I can put this kind of bend in it without heat treating. I'm using that bend as an example of what I want the steel to do without breaking, trying to quantify it's "toughness" I guess.
 
0.02" thick, and assuming it's relatively long, can easily take a 90 degree bend. But if it's long, you wouldn't be able to HT it using a torch. Make sure you get a chance to read Kevin Cashen's posts on heat treating 1095, and why the bending test is relatively worthless.

Based on some paper I've read, 1095-class steels can bend to its elastic limit if tempered at around 400-415 degrees. Where that limit is depends on thinness and hardness.
 
cotdt said:
0.02" thick, and assuming it's relatively long, can easily take a 90 degree bend. But if it's long, you wouldn't be able to HT it using a torch. Make sure you get a chance to read Kevin Cashen's posts on heat treating 1095, and why the bending test is relatively worthless.

Based on some paper I've read, 1095-class steels can bend to its elastic limit if tempered at around 400-415 degrees. Where that limit is depends on thinness and hardness.
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I mean an on point 90 bend. For example, take this piece of metal (after HT and tempering) and place it into a slot 0.01" wider then the piece of metal itself. Bend it flat.

It's not relatively long, it's 3-4".
 
does it have to be 1095? 1095 may not be the best choice for this, especially if all you have to heat treat is a torch. you'd probably be better off trying this with 1075/1080 or even 1050. you just want it to be springy right? you don't need all that carbon unless you want it to hold an edge.
 
hathegkla said:
does it have to be 1095? 1095 may not be the best choice for this, especially if all you have to heat treat is a torch. you'd probably be better off trying this with 1075/1080 or even 1050. you just want it to be springy right? you don't need all that carbon unless you want it to hold an edge.
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1095's what I have on hand in the size I need. :o
 
I think you're asking to do more than you have the capability to pull off. I assume you mean't you've done it in the annealed condition? If you harden it, your oven will not go hot enough to give it a temper that would allow such a bend.
 
LRB said:
I think you're asking to do more than you have the capability to pull off. I assume you mean't you've done it in the annealed condition? If you harden it, your oven will not go hot enough to give it a temper that would allow such a bend.
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I heated it up cherry red and dunked it. Then I carefully heated it back up, not approaching red and let it cool. It proved to be tougher then annealed, but would still take a bend.

Besides this guessing game, what would I need to do temper it properly?
 
I am going to make a SWAG. Properly hardened, 1095 makes a great spring at around 650°F, to even nearing 700°F. You will have to take it higher in temp than that to set bend it. I am going to guess maybe 1,000° or even higher to keep it from breaking or cracking. Maybe more. Very likely more. You would have to experiment, but you need a controlled heat to do that, and be able to repeat it. You may possibly look into using Tempilaq. This is a paint on stuff that melts at certain degrees of heat, but you would have to buy more than just one set degree unless someone can give you an accurate degree to go with. The tempilaq would allow repetition with any heat source, once you figured out the required heat.
 
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