Annealing File Knife

J

jolson

Joined
Mar 15, 2018
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I just started making file knives from old Nicholson steel files and have read about two different approaches to heat treatment. The first is to not anneal or normalize at all and just start working the metal to get the shape you want and then temper it when finished. The other approach is to anneal (I still don't know the difference between annealing and normalizing - they sound like the same thing to me) it first to be able to work it easier, then heat and quench once you have shaped it, and then temper when done.
Does anyone have experience in making file knives who can tell me what the advantages and disadvantages are to these two approaches and which is the easiest?
 
jolson said:
I just started making file knives from old Nicholson steel files and have read about two different approaches to heat treatment. The first is to not anneal or normalize at all and just start working the metal to get the shape you want and then temper it when finished. The other approach is to anneal (I still don't know the difference between annealing and normalizing - they sound like the same thing to me) it first to be able to work it easier, then heat and quench once you have shaped it, and then temper when done.
Does anyone have experience in making file knives who can tell me what the advantages and disadvantages are to these two approaches and which is the easiest?
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Do you have the tooling to grind it full hard? If you do it will save a step just to temper and grind. If not you are going to have to get it soft enough to work with. Annealing is all about getting it soft for working. Normalizing is addressing the grain structure and is all about preparing for final heat treatment. That's over simplified but is the general idea.
 
Thanks. That helps. In regard to tempering, is it best to temper it after it is complete with holes and final edge, or is it better to temper it before drilling handle holes and putting the final touches on the edge?
 
You have to use power equipment to grind hardened steel. Unless you are very careful, you will overheat the steel in places-causing soft spots.
It's better to anneal the steel, make the blade, drill the holes, harden, temper, and finish the blade.
 
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