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Anneal
- Thread starter Frog
- Start date
Frog,
I've used a fair amount of saw steel, and it's always difficult to anneal. I would bind as much together as you can that will comfortably fit in your oven and bring it up to a non-magnetic state and hold for good half an hour. Then bury it immediately in wood ashes and leave it be for a day. That should take the hardness out of it. Wrapping them all together in one bundle will hold the heat longer and lets it cool slower.
I've used a fair amount of saw steel, and it's always difficult to anneal. I would bind as much together as you can that will comfortably fit in your oven and bring it up to a non-magnetic state and hold for good half an hour. Then bury it immediately in wood ashes and leave it be for a day. That should take the hardness out of it. Wrapping them all together in one bundle will hold the heat longer and lets it cool slower.
Thanks L6,
While we're on the subject maybe you can confirm something for me. I generally consider saw blades in the form Frog was refering to as L6 steel. Do you feel this is a correct assumption? I use it as a 50/50 mix with 0-1 tool steel for my stack when forming my billet to make Damascus. This is the best edge I've been able to achieve with Damascus.
While we're on the subject maybe you can confirm something for me. I generally consider saw blades in the form Frog was refering to as L6 steel. Do you feel this is a correct assumption? I use it as a 50/50 mix with 0-1 tool steel for my stack when forming my billet to make Damascus. This is the best edge I've been able to achieve with Damascus.
Most saw blades now days aren't L6.
If you have a furnance to take the metal up
to non-mag then leave it in there it will
cool slower than wood ash. If you have
a kawool liner which won't hold much for long
take some more kawool and wrap the forge with
it. Let it set over night if you want but in
all reality it will be cool in about 6 to 8 hrs.
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http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91
If you have a furnance to take the metal up
to non-mag then leave it in there it will
cool slower than wood ash. If you have
a kawool liner which won't hold much for long
take some more kawool and wrap the forge with
it. Let it set over night if you want but in
all reality it will be cool in about 6 to 8 hrs.
------------------
http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91
Sorry Goshawk but your wrong. If you put a good size bundle of steel in well compacted bed of wood ashes at annealing temperature it will still be too hot to handle in 8 hours. Wood ashes have amazing refractory qualities. I know because I do it all the time.
The saw blades are harder to anneal than most of the steels except maybe the 52100. When I used to use the saw blades, sometimes I would put a piece of 3/8" plate on each side of the stack, because the outside pieces would cool to quick. Wood ashes or vermiculite will both work well. The forge will work if it has sufficient mass to hold the heat long enough. The main thing is to have a very slow rate of cooling. I does make excellent damascus but you have to do the same annealing process to it when you get through or it will be almost impossible to drill.
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Ray Kirk
www.tah-usa.net/raker
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Ray Kirk
www.tah-usa.net/raker
- Joined
- Dec 14, 1998
- Messages
- 4,870
If you fill the oven with lots of steel just bring it to annealing temp for 3-6 hours then shut it off. The steel inside will cool slow enough to anneal. The extra steel inside will keep it cooling slow.
Another easy trick is to use lime. Just get a 50 lb bag and use it. Pre heat it first then
stick your steel in it to cool. Cheap!
Good luck
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Web Site At www.infinet.com/~browzer/bldesmth.html
New Web at www.darrelralph.com
Another easy trick is to use lime. Just get a 50 lb bag and use it. Pre heat it first then
stick your steel in it to cool. Cheap!
Good luck
------------------
Web Site At www.infinet.com/~browzer/bldesmth.html
New Web at www.darrelralph.com
Frog
I use band saw blades from a local lumber mill.I cut out the blank blades leaving a 1\8 or so around the edge.I have a large oven that will hit 2000 degrees if given enough time.I have groved a 1\2 firebrick with 8 grooves to hold blades.I heat the oven to 1500 degrees let it set 10 minutes and then shut it off.Takes about 8-10 hours t9o cool.
I can't drill the blanks before annealing but can after wards so it helps.
I use band saw blades from a local lumber mill.I cut out the blank blades leaving a 1\8 or so around the edge.I have a large oven that will hit 2000 degrees if given enough time.I have groved a 1\2 firebrick with 8 grooves to hold blades.I heat the oven to 1500 degrees let it set 10 minutes and then shut it off.Takes about 8-10 hours t9o cool.
I can't drill the blanks before annealing but can after wards so it helps.