Hi folks,
I'm not a knife maker, just a part time machinist, but I thought you folks would have the most experience with my particular questions please.
I have a potential customer who needs some parts made from 440C. These are relatively small parts 1-1/4" round stock, a couple inches long. I've no experience at all in heat treating, and don't look to do it myself.
Since the parts are thicker, they would require more heat soak. The thickest part of these little cylinders is about 1/2" after boring a blind hole in the center.
My questions are this please. Cold roll carbon steels deform under treatment, but I had read 440C cold rolled deforms less than 440C hot rolled. Is that true?
Cold rolled is more available for this small job, so I'd rather use that if possible. The machined part will have 1/2"-13 threads in the center, will those deform noticeably after heat treatment? That's what I'm most concerned about.
Also the part doesn't have much stress on it. It just goes in and out a metal orifice to stop or allow for water flow under significant pressure. It must made of hardened stainless because the water erodes the stainless steel away. But it really doesn't need toughness, I think (but again this is out of my realm of experience). Do you think the part would need to be tempered after hardening?
Lastly, do you have any cost effective suggestions for someone who might harden these parts for me? The problem is the most I would make would be something less than 10 of the parts. In fact, I'd probably like to try just one first to see how it turns out. Most places I've checked have large minimums orders. I get that. They need to fill their furnaces up in order to make it economical. But I'm wondering if there is someone out there with a small furnace who specializes more in small orders?
I'm just trying to get an idea what this might cost, so I can give an accurate quote. Thanks!
I'm not a knife maker, just a part time machinist, but I thought you folks would have the most experience with my particular questions please.
I have a potential customer who needs some parts made from 440C. These are relatively small parts 1-1/4" round stock, a couple inches long. I've no experience at all in heat treating, and don't look to do it myself.
Since the parts are thicker, they would require more heat soak. The thickest part of these little cylinders is about 1/2" after boring a blind hole in the center.
My questions are this please. Cold roll carbon steels deform under treatment, but I had read 440C cold rolled deforms less than 440C hot rolled. Is that true?
Cold rolled is more available for this small job, so I'd rather use that if possible. The machined part will have 1/2"-13 threads in the center, will those deform noticeably after heat treatment? That's what I'm most concerned about.
Also the part doesn't have much stress on it. It just goes in and out a metal orifice to stop or allow for water flow under significant pressure. It must made of hardened stainless because the water erodes the stainless steel away. But it really doesn't need toughness, I think (but again this is out of my realm of experience). Do you think the part would need to be tempered after hardening?
Lastly, do you have any cost effective suggestions for someone who might harden these parts for me? The problem is the most I would make would be something less than 10 of the parts. In fact, I'd probably like to try just one first to see how it turns out. Most places I've checked have large minimums orders. I get that. They need to fill their furnaces up in order to make it economical. But I'm wondering if there is someone out there with a small furnace who specializes more in small orders?
I'm just trying to get an idea what this might cost, so I can give an accurate quote. Thanks!
