Aluminum Plates for Quenching?

G L Drew

G L Drew

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Feb 3, 2005
Messages
4,490
I recently bought a Paragon furnace and have had good success heat treating ATS34 by following the basic instructions of temp, soak and oil quench. However, I would like to get away from the oil and use aluminum plates and quench the blades in the foil wrapper. Anyone had any experience with this and be willing to share their recipe? I would also like to work with D2, 1095 etc. Would the aluminum plates work well with other steels?
 
A search will turn up lots of advise and methods on plate quenching.
Only air hardening steels will plate quench. 1095 has one of the shortest cooling rates of the knife steels ,and only works in fast oil, or water.
I'll let some of the D-2 makers advise you on the use of plates for D-2.
Stacy
 
GL, I have been using a lot of the Timken-Latrobe (Koncor) D2 from Flat-stock.com. I have found it to be a superb steel when used with the Crucible recipe.

Heat to 1200 F and equalize for 15 minutes. Heat to 1450 F and equalize for 15 minutes. Heat to 1850 F and soak for 20 minutes. I plate quench with steel plates (all I have at the moment) while blowing compressed air on the blade while it is still in its foil packet. I am getting a consistent 64 - 64.5 Rc as quenched, and a consistent Rc 60 when tempered at 500 F using my Evenheat furnace.
 
I use plates on all of the air quenching steels. Most of what I use is D2 and A2, but I have also used them on S7, S30V and 440C.

I haven't had any problems.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I thought I remembered reading somewhere that ATS34 could be quenched in the foil wrapper using aluminum plates. Guess I was wrong; it's that old guy thing I guess.
 
Mr Drew, no one said you couldn't use plates with ATS34. You certainly can. Use your regular HT recipe, and substitute the plates for the oil. Leave the blade in the foil.
 
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