26C3 Carbon Steel - Spicy White

[Robert Erickson]

https://knifesteelnerds.com/2019/05/13/how-to-heat-treat-52100/

Whoops left out that tidbit
Thanks Larrin

 

[Willie71]

So how thick do you guys apply your clay on kitchen blades? I seem to have less luck with thin unbeveled W2 blades in that .100 range than I do say with a thick .25-.28 Bowie blade that had the bevels ground down to say .050 at the edge. Do you need to go a bit thicker and higher on the thin blades?

On thin knives, I do a Sabre grind before heat treat. The wedge geometry is critical in getting the hamon where you want it. Then do ffg after temper.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

I have done that on thin hira zukuri tanto with good effect. After HT I just convex away the ridge.

 

[Josh Rider]

I’d be cautious with the thin stuff. I had it warp on me after removing some material to check for hamon.

 

[Justin Schmidt]

I’d be cautious with the thin stuff. I had it warp on me after removing some material to check for hamon.

Yup had some warp issues with mine also

 

[DeadboxHero]

All mine is warped. Look forward to seeing some .125 stock. Less work to fix warps

 

[Justin Schmidt]

Mine was the .150 ground to a saber goring 3/4 up the blade like Warren described and still warped

 

[DeadboxHero]

Mine was the .150 ground to a saber goring 3/4 up the blade like Warren described and still warped

Good to know

 

[jdm61]

Did you cook it at 1200 after you ground it?

Mine was the .150 ground to a saber goring 3/4 up the blade like Warren described and still warped

 

[Justin Schmidt]

Nope. But a different piece I broke off using the same technique had perfect grain

 

[Josh Rider]

I’m wondering if a stress relief cycle would help against warp. I had another blade, out of the .150 group start to warp during thermal cycle. I bent it back easily and when quenched it came out straight.

 

[jdm61]

Grain size is not the issue then, but not doing the stress relief cycle after grinding could be.

Nope. But a different piece I broke off using the same technique had perfect grain

 

[Justin Schmidt]

Hmm maybe a 1700 thermal cycle followed by a 1450 cycle will do the trick?

 

[Willie71]

You will get warps when going for a Hamon. The steel cools inconsistently (the whole point) and stresses are created. I watched my oiece bow left, then right, then left again after pulling it from the oil. It corrected easily with one temper cycle. Don’t sweat it.

 

[kuraki]

Alpha Knife Supply What is the thickest stuff you plan/hope to get? I can absolutely use .150 but would really like .22+ forging stock as well.

 

[jdm61]

No, I am talking about doing a cycle at 1200-1250 AFTEr you do the other cycles and the rough grinding and before hardening. That sub critical anneal/stress relief cycle is about as close as I have found to a "cure" for warping.

Hmm maybe a 1700 thermal cycle followed by a 1450 cycle will do the trick?

 

[Willie71]

 

[Josh Rider]

The steel on my second blade warped before I clayed it Warren. Before I ground it as well.

It warped on the first blade after I ground it to reveal hamon.

I’ll try the 1200° stress relief cycle after profiling next time.

 

[Willie71]

The steel on my second blade warped before I clayed it Warren. Before I ground it as well.

It warped on the first blade after I ground it to reveal hamon.

I’ll try the 1200° stress relief cycle after profiling next time.

Ok, that’s different.

Thin knives with a hamon make aeb-l seem stable in comparison. Unless the clay was identical on both sides, you will get warp.

 

[DanF]

I'm using thin stock, paying particular attention to the heat being created during the pre ht grinding. If I grind one side, light to medium pressure (not letting it get as hot as other steels I have used during grinding), dunk and then grind other side, dunk, and continue, I don't see pre ht warp. If I make just two passes on one side, I can see the warp start to form. As someone else mentioned warp during quench pretty easy to remove. Post ht grind, I don't even let it get mildly warm during the grind and constantly dunking and flipping. Ymmv