I've been making O1 tool steel fixed blades for a few years, but have finally purchased the equipment needed to do a successful heat treat of stainless and other "air quenching" steels.
I've scoured forums for information, and I think I have a pretty good handle on what I'm going to do for my heat treat. But there's one thing that I would like to discuss, after listening to what the vast majority say about heat treating CPM 3v.
You see, I like to use a filing jig to make my bevels. I find that the amount of control and consistency I get from it, is wonderful. Surely, I know there are other (better) ways of doing it (which is perhaps one reason I'm making this post.), but this is what I'm comfortable with right now. But that leads to a problem - plate quenching a blade that is already beveled, sounds like it would not get a proper, even, quench, since the plates would not make direct contact to the beveled edges.
The alternative, if I want to plate quench (which, as I've gathered, is the way most people do it?), is to grind the bevels AFTER quenching. But doing so with a hand file jig, sounds like a nightmare and a half. And if I did so on a grinder, then there's the heat issue (thus requiring coolant, so I don't mess up the HT.).
But, then I read the manufacturer recommended heat treat process, and it mentions interrupted oil quench. I also have read posts by Roman Landes, stating that it is his preferred method of quenching 3v. But other than few and far between posts here and there, most people seem to discourage interrupted oil quenching. Is it just that people lack experience with it, and thus can't give any advice? Or have people actually compared the two, and found plate quenching to be superior? If so, I'd love to hear the results of your experience!
Also, what about salt baths? I'll admit that I have tossed around the idea of sticking a crucible filled with salts, in my second oven, and getting it nice and soaked at exactly 1000F, and just quenching in that. That, to me, sounds like the most controlled method, which would end in the most consistent results! Or is a molten salt quench actually not as good as oil and/or plates. Or is it simply too dangerous? I'm very curious about this, since, in theory, it seems like the best method of all, yet I can find so little information about it.
Another question I have, has to do with the preheat. Once I am done soaking it at the preheat temp (1500F in this case.), would I be better off letting it stay in the oven while it ramps up to 1950F, or putting it straight into my second oven which could be at 1950F already? My ovens are only 110V and take a while to get up to 1950F.
Lastly, if I do an oil quench, as I'm currently leaning towards - Anyone have any good advice about getting the knife out of the SS foil quickly? My current idea is to use my tongs to grab the back of the pouch, then cut off the front with kitchen shears, then pull the blade out with a second pair of pliers. Then quench in oil until the steel is black (1-3 seconds, from what I gather?). I think the harder part will be getting the frame out of its pouch, since it will be bent upward for the frame lock (I'll probably use titanium for frames, in the future, but I have AEB-L stock I want to use up!).
I've scoured forums for information, and I think I have a pretty good handle on what I'm going to do for my heat treat. But there's one thing that I would like to discuss, after listening to what the vast majority say about heat treating CPM 3v.
You see, I like to use a filing jig to make my bevels. I find that the amount of control and consistency I get from it, is wonderful. Surely, I know there are other (better) ways of doing it (which is perhaps one reason I'm making this post.), but this is what I'm comfortable with right now. But that leads to a problem - plate quenching a blade that is already beveled, sounds like it would not get a proper, even, quench, since the plates would not make direct contact to the beveled edges.
The alternative, if I want to plate quench (which, as I've gathered, is the way most people do it?), is to grind the bevels AFTER quenching. But doing so with a hand file jig, sounds like a nightmare and a half. And if I did so on a grinder, then there's the heat issue (thus requiring coolant, so I don't mess up the HT.).
But, then I read the manufacturer recommended heat treat process, and it mentions interrupted oil quench. I also have read posts by Roman Landes, stating that it is his preferred method of quenching 3v. But other than few and far between posts here and there, most people seem to discourage interrupted oil quenching. Is it just that people lack experience with it, and thus can't give any advice? Or have people actually compared the two, and found plate quenching to be superior? If so, I'd love to hear the results of your experience!
Also, what about salt baths? I'll admit that I have tossed around the idea of sticking a crucible filled with salts, in my second oven, and getting it nice and soaked at exactly 1000F, and just quenching in that. That, to me, sounds like the most controlled method, which would end in the most consistent results! Or is a molten salt quench actually not as good as oil and/or plates. Or is it simply too dangerous? I'm very curious about this, since, in theory, it seems like the best method of all, yet I can find so little information about it.
Another question I have, has to do with the preheat. Once I am done soaking it at the preheat temp (1500F in this case.), would I be better off letting it stay in the oven while it ramps up to 1950F, or putting it straight into my second oven which could be at 1950F already? My ovens are only 110V and take a while to get up to 1950F.
Lastly, if I do an oil quench, as I'm currently leaning towards - Anyone have any good advice about getting the knife out of the SS foil quickly? My current idea is to use my tongs to grab the back of the pouch, then cut off the front with kitchen shears, then pull the blade out with a second pair of pliers. Then quench in oil until the steel is black (1-3 seconds, from what I gather?). I think the harder part will be getting the frame out of its pouch, since it will be bent upward for the frame lock (I'll probably use titanium for frames, in the future, but I have AEB-L stock I want to use up!).
