52100

J

J. Hoover

Joined
Jul 2, 2006
Messages
1,782
Hey everyone,
I have been wanting to use 52100 to make some blades so I took the plunge and bought some bar stock from Aldo when I ordered some steel. I have researched the heat treat and temper on this quality steel but as with most there are some wide variables in the recipes.
Some call for long soaks at temp and others don't. I plan on oil quenching the blades using Parks 50.
Guess I'm asking what others do to get the most from a oil quench, thanks
 
Make sure you read the HT stickies about treating hypereutectoid steels.
 
1475 - 1500 for 8-10 minutes then quench. Parks 50 is overkill on 52100. Do you have anything slower? As quenched hardness can be as high as 67. Tempering will depend on as quenched hardness but a good starting point is 400 degrees. These are the temps. & times I use and they work for me. They were reccomended to me by Kevin Cashen.
 
Thanks Darrin, I have some 11 second quench that I use for other steels. I have a hardness tester, my plan was to bring the hardness down to 59-60 during tempering.
 
My view of 52100 is that it's everything you like about 1095, with the stuff you don't like removed or reduced. Very high attainable hardness - check. Good edge holding - check. Capable of taking very thin edges at high polish and holding them - check. Not a water quenching steel - check. Relatively inexpensive - check. 52100 fits into the high hardness, dedicated cutter/slicer category pretty well in theory, though I have yet to use any.
 
From what I've read 11sec should work good; maybe a little fast, but not bad.

Best of luck to you!
 
I use Parks AAA for 52100; but, Parks 50 should work, as long as you do an interrupted quench.
 
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