Another clip point tanto.

F

folderVSfixed

Joined
Dec 21, 2000
Messages
498
Ground this one out today.
It's 0-1, 1/4" thick, eight 1/2" overall with a 3 1/2" blade.
I'm thinking of using refractory cement and a water quench to get a hammon. Over on this thread, http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=218906,there was some great info on this so I figured I would give it another shot. With water that is! I havn't had to much luck using water broke more blade than saved.
Is water to harsh on 0-1 and that is why my blades are cracking? Should I go ahead and use oil? Thanks for any help.:)
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I have never had a blade crack using oil for the quench and only one warp. Used water and cracked two out of three...tossed the water.
 
0-1 is definately an oil quench steel. I'd shun the water for quenching this one for sure. I could forsee serious warpage, and more than likely pieces of your very nicely ground blade at the bottom of your quench tank. Go for the Oil.
 
What I did was put a THIN layer (for insurance)on the part I wanted hardened and put it on thick everywhere else. When I was at the bladesmithing school that the ABS does we always quenched in water and since then that's all i've used and i've never had any problems with cracks (I use 5160 and saw blades).
 
Originally posted by twynn5586
What I did was put a THIN layer (for insurance)on the part I wanted hardened and put it on thick everywhere else. When I was at the bladesmithing school that the ABS does we always quenched in water and since then that's all i've used and i've never had any problems with cracks (I use 5160 and saw blades).
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Just curious, who was your instructor at the school? I would suspect you would HAVE to temper it immediately after quenching. It would really stress the steel. I don't believe using water would be for the faint of heart (like me!) I know the japanese smiths have done it for eons.

Oil is more forgiving than water as Robert alluded to. By the way, the "O" in O1 stands for oil.

C Wilkins
 
Yep, I'd stick with oil for O1...like Craig said "oil, 1% carbon"

I have mentioned water several times, but I would NOT recommend it for O1. That knife would be a lot of grinding to end up losing on the quench.:(

O1 isn't the best steel for an active hamon either. It IS possible, I've seen it before...but the 10XX series steels are much better suited to it (all IMHO).

Nick
 
Just curious, who was your instructor at the school? I would suspect you would HAVE to temper it immediately after quenching.
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Charle Ochs and Jim Batson, we waited until it was room temp and then threw it in the oven.
 
Well oil it is then. Twynn, thats what I was going to try as well (thin coat first) after re-reading through my book, The Craft of the Japanese Sword I noticed thats how Yoshihara was doing it so I thought maybe I would give that a shot. However, I have to agree that after grinding on the knife with all those bevels to destroy it in the quench would not make me a happy camper! Plus, if like you say Nick, it wouldn't matter which quenchant I used the hammons are only so-so with 0-1, I will stay safe and use oil. Looks like I will have to get a bar or two of the 10 series and give it a whirl. Which one out of the 10 series have you noticed produced the most visually pleasing hammon? Two out of three Robert? Ouch! Hope they weren't involved pieces that took a while to make.
Thanks for your help guys, you may very well have kept a catastrophy from occuring.:)
 
I`ve had good results using vegetable oil,and the 1084 and 1095 steels seem to be the best steels to use when hamons are concerned,I`ve also had good results using old files(W-1 or 2)
Here`s one I made from 1095,I used furnace cement to get the hamon and I quenched it in warm vegetable oil.
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I used a manganese phosphate finish and the differing hardness zones took on seperate shades of gray,I didnt intend for this to happen as this was the first blade I has used the phosphate on but I really think it looks unique,what I find interesting is the area that was under the clay ribs took on an almost black color,kinda like tiger stripes.
The only time I`ve had success with water quenching-and another unintentional effect-was this little neck knife,
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I made this one from an old file,it was straight as an arrow when I ground it but when I water quenched it it warped fairly badly,I straightened it and quenched it again,warped again,sraightened and quenched again-warped-
I got fed up and straightened it for the third time and quenched in warm vegetable oil,this time no warps but I noticed that the point had actually lifted,curved upward slightly like a Japanese sword,I have read that the Japanese swords were nearly straight when forged and attain the upward curve in the water quench,I guess I acheved this effect unintentionally but I sure do like it.
Scott Fulford
 
My suggestion, though very new at this, is that you stick with oil. Would hate to see a blade that pretty crack and have you lose all that work, folderVSfixed. Don't put out that much work and then lose it. :)
 
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