440c or D2 heat treating

Crucible has the specs for D2 posted - but 440C shows as under revision (and has for a couple years now). Email if you want me to fax you the old sheet. Also, I haven't seen it, but I heard that January BLADE mag has D2 specs in it.

Rob!

Oh yes, you might want to look at the HT specs at Admiral Steel - though I can't recommend them. (or say recommend against them).
 
Thanks for the links. I've done some searching myself but I've found different numbers from different sources. Example; evenheat says to temper 440c @ 225 for 58rc while on another site they say 325. I guess I'll have to do some experimenting to see what works!
 
Here's another link, but I feel this method is a little over the top in hardening:
http://www.knifeart.com/heattreatvar.html

Added: finally found a danged Crucible link I knew I had stuffed somewhere :)
http://www.crucibleservice.com/eselector/prodbyapp/stainless/stainlessheattbl.html

not the actual datasheet, but better than nothing.

440C is one of those steels that can have a lot of retained austenite. Cryo is a good thing. That'll have a lot to do with your tempering point. It's a good steel to have a Rockwell tester for.
 
http://www.bucorp.com/files/aisi_d2.pdf

This site is the data sheet for D2 from Uddeholm. It is similar to Crucible's, but a little more detailed. I have been using it for the last 5 years with very good results.

The Admiral Steel data is good for 440C, but be sure to soak at temperature for at least 20 minutes-30 is probably better-before quenching.
 
Trugrit.com says that 440c can be oil quenched from 1050 degrees or air quenched at 1850. Has anybody ever tried oil quenching this steel? I have a blade that I ground out of 440c and would like to do the HT tomorow so I hope I can figure this out tonight. Thanks.
 
You are planning on coating the blade with something like Turco or putting it in foil, right? It'll oxidize pretty bad if you don't. 1850-1950 is mean on steel. (I assume you didn't mean 1050 up above in your post.)

The problem with oil quenching is it takes too long to get it out of the foil packet before quenching, is a royal PITA, and it's really easy to bend the blade in the process because it's so plastic. That's why many who do stainless have switched to plate quenching. I've done a lot of SS in oil, and never will again since I found plates.

Good luck with whatever you choose. :)
 
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