Anti Scaling Compound and Clay Tempering

gnique

gnique

Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
59
I have used anti-scaling compound on all the blades that I have made since I bought my Even Heat oven and i have found that it works just fine. I have been working on some new blades that I have coated with high temp mortar mix. When I apply the mortar mix on top of the anti - scaling compound I find that the anti - scaling compound comes off of the blade in small patches (say about the size of a dime). I think that it is because the anti - scaling compound is water soluble and the water in the mortar mix causes the anti - scaling compound to dissolve in those small patches. Does anybody have a fix or a comment on this? Thanks for your help - Nicholas
 
It sounds like the two are not compatable. Are you using PBC brand? If so the blade needs to be about 600 degrees for it to stick and when cooled off enough to put the mortor on it will break off like ultra thin glass. Its very fragile when cool. If you are doing a clay coat hamon just dont use the PBC at all. You will need to re-grind afterwards anyway. I hope this helps?
 
I wonder if I sprayed paint over the anti -scaling compound before I applied the mortar - would that protect the anti - scaling compound from the water in the mortar? It seems to me like it would. Either regular spray paint or high temp (automobile exhaust paint) might work. It seems to me that the most that would happen is some small amount of smoke in the oven when the paint burned off at 500 or 600 degrees. Does anyone like that idea?
 
I'm with Bruce & Karl, in that you don't need to use the anti-scale compound at all. When you are doing a clay tempering it is usually best to put a thin "wash" coat of the satanite (or whatever you use) on the blade before applying the thicker coat on the spine of the blade. This wash coat will prevent scale and should be all that you have to useand will help get a better hamon as well.

Gary
 
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