17-4 heat treating

[Sean Yaw]

I'm trying to recreate a TL-29 electrician's knife. It has a liner lock on the screw driver tool that seems to be made of brass. I was planning on using 17-4 stainless for the liner lock. My question is: How do I heat treat 17-4 so that it makes an appropriate liner lock? Do I bend the lock to shape before heat treating it?

 

[DevinT]

I think it partly depends on the prior condition. Max hardness is mid 40’s and is doable with a soak at 925’f. You should be able to bend it after hardening but I don’t have any experience with that. I’ll look it up and report if I find a better recommendation.

Hoss

 

[P.Brewster]

Yes, form before HT