annealing question

OutdoorsFamilyMan4

OutdoorsFamilyMan4

Joined
Jan 20, 2012
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I have read threads about annealing a file in a campfire but I live in a city so I dont think I can get a fire big or hot enough. Can it be done on a gas grill? I would think that would be more controlled anyway. anyone?
 
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the reason i'm asking is because a fellow bladeforums member so generously gave me some materials (free of cost) to make my first knife. I am getting ready to have it heat treated. I found a place here that charges a flat rate to heat treat. its $25 for up to 100lbs of material. I wanted to make a few file knives to send in to be heat treated (since it will pretty much be free) but I need to soften them up so I can grind on them---any help would be appreciated
 
I just looked at the Stickies, and the question/answer is addressed in "How to Make a Knife From a File".

Stacy wrote:
A word on annealing - You often see suggestions to heat the file in a camp fire, BBQ grill, or with a torch, and then to bury it in ashes or vermiculite overnight. That will anneal a lower carbon steel just fine. But, for a high carbon file, it can create a hard form of pearlite that will give you problems later. The oil quench after the steel is cooled down to about 900°F is a much better method for higher carbon content steels. Save the canola oil to use again when re-hardening the blade in HT.

I'm glad the pros are here, because I wouldn't have guessed that correctly.
 
A gas BBQ won't work at all.

While I don't consider a camp fire or a BBQ grill a good idea for annealing or hardening -
Heating the blade to non-magnetic, and then watching it cool, as soon as it looks black ( no red glow), quenching it in oil should soften it enough to work with files and sandpaper.

To make a charcoal BBQ grill work, you need a hot fire. Open the vents all the way and put a good stack of hardwood charcoal on (Not briquettes). Get it burning nice and hot, and if needed, use a home made blower ( hair dryer and 24" piece of pipe). Test the steel with a magnet, and when it does not stick anymore, heat for a few more minutes, then quench in the oil. You will need a pair of tongs of some sort. The extra long needle nose pliers from HF work pretty good for this.



For hardening, I do not suggest a fire pit or BBQ for the heat source.

Filling out your profile might get an offer from someone nearby to come over and anneal your files in a proper forge or oven.
 
I have thrown them in my woodstove and it does NOTHING to them.
 
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