hey all. I am about ready to heat treat a small knife I'm making for my girl friends son. its a small full tang with a one inch blade. and ground very thin for whittling and such. steel is 5160 and i plan on using canola oil as a quench. do you guys have any tips on keeping the blade straight while i heat treat it? Or tricks to getting it back to straight after i am done with it? the blade is flat/ convex ground.
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any tips to prevent blade warp?
- Thread starter hammon172
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Nathan the Machinist
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Agitate the steel in the oil during the quench, this reduces vapor pockets and gives a more even quench. Pull the blade from the quench after about 8-10 seconds. If it flares up or smokes heavily put it back in immediately for a few more seconds, but if it simply wisps a little smoke you have a good interrupted quench that will slow things down as you start Ms that will reduce warping and wavy edge.
The steel will be dead soft and malleable on the way down at 500F. You're safely under the nose, but martensite (the hard stuff) hasn't really started forming. This is the sweet spot where bends can be straightened by hand. In fact it is so soft you need to be careful not to over do it. Once it starts to "set up" you need to stop.
After that it is still possible to correct bends during tempering. You clamp the blade slightly over compensated then run your temper with it sprung. This will frequently move the steel without really stressing it.
The steel will be dead soft and malleable on the way down at 500F. You're safely under the nose, but martensite (the hard stuff) hasn't really started forming. This is the sweet spot where bends can be straightened by hand. In fact it is so soft you need to be careful not to over do it. Once it starts to "set up" you need to stop.
After that it is still possible to correct bends during tempering. You clamp the blade slightly over compensated then run your temper with it sprung. This will frequently move the steel without really stressing it.
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I have straightened several blades in the temper process. I clamped the blade to a firm piece of metal, then shimmed to over correct the bend and tempered it for an hour let cool to room temp while still clamped. I examined the blade and adjusted where it was needed. I tempered again for 45 mins, cooled to room temp and un-clamped. The blade was straight.
The steel was Aldo's 1084 and tempered at 400.
The steel was Aldo's 1084 and tempered at 400.
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
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JZ,
Plate quenching is for stainless and air hardening steels. hamon 172 is using 5160, which is a carbon steel with chromium alloy.
You can use plates to keep a carbon blade straight by placing it in the plates after taking out of the oil. Quench in the oil for about 6-8 seconds, and then place directly in the plates and clamp down.
Plate quenching is for stainless and air hardening steels. hamon 172 is using 5160, which is a carbon steel with chromium alloy.
You can use plates to keep a carbon blade straight by placing it in the plates after taking out of the oil. Quench in the oil for about 6-8 seconds, and then place directly in the plates and clamp down.