admiral steel question

E

elginrunner

Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
26
Hi all,

I'm a newbie and this is my first post, so i'll try and make it an intelligent one!!

I've done some stock removal blades with Admiral steel's 1095 bar stock. When completing the heat treat (oxy-acet torch/oil quench), and I start cleaning up the blade to remove scale, and to polish, there is a black near impossible to remove scale on the tang area. I don't heat that area of the knife to the degree as the blade/edge. The blade polishes up farely well. but the unheated part has the crusty black layer that is almost impossible to grind off!!

Is there anyway to aleviate this without having to heat the whole knife?

thanks in advance...
 
You have discovered an old blacksmith secret on how to put a black finish on steel. Oil will literally cook itself to the surface of the steel. It will come off with some effort. This is why i do not finish my blades beyond 150 grit before HT. After the quench I start with 150 and it cleans up pretty fast.

Chuck
 
Yes all oil will leave a residue on the blade. If you do a full quench as you eluded to, the oil will burn off and you will have a cleaner blade. There will still be some residue to remove. It is just one of those things. Keep on going it will get a little easier.

Chuck
 
The scale can be removed by soaking in vinegar for 1/2 hour ,then scrubbing the blade off with a wire brush. Scale is HARD,best way is to avoid it. Products like Turco will help eliminate it (I use it on all carbon blades). Control of the heat source to attain even heating is a good idea,too.
Stacy
 
I use the 1095 all the time in my Knife Shop. And you will see that on knives you are heat treating. What is on the handle area is no big deal. You are putting handles on it and will not see that. I removed the scale from my knives by placing them on a surface grinder and removing the bark. You can also, with a steady hand remove it by utilizing your grinder as if you was going to flat grind. But make sure you check the flatness of the knife on a granite stone. For a better illustrations please visit my knife shop below. I hope this was of help to you. You may call me if you need to. God bless and have a great knife day.

Barkes :thumbup:
http://my.hsonline.net/wizard/knifeshop.htm
1.812.526.6390
 
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