Ats 34

Joined
Feb 23, 2003
Messages
102
How thin can I go with the edge,and how fine of grit with the finnish before sending out for heat treat.

Thank you
Tony
 
To be safe, I leave the edge at about 25-30 thousandths and finish to 220 grit before heat treat. I finish to 10-20 thousandths after heat treat, depending on the intended use / size of the knife.:D :rolleyes: :)

Smilies added to please my son, who thinks they're funny.)
 
How thin depends on the intended use and design of the knife. If it's a folder blade or a small slicer, take it down to about 30 thousandths and finish it as fine as you want. If it's a big chopper style blade take it down to 50 or 60 thousandths.
Pre heat treat finish depends on the final finish you're planning on. Since I don't polish my blades anymore, I take them thru 320 grit prior to heat treat and then clean them up afterwards with 320 and hand sand the flats with 360 grit paper and then put the final satin finish on with a fine scotchbrite belt. If you want to polish the blade you'll need to take it thru finer grits, say up thru 600. Then when you get the blade back go over it with a 600 grit belt and then work thru some finer belts, what ever you use.
 
Tony,

I just finished heat treating an ATS-34 blade with an edge thickness of 0.007 inch (that is correct - 7 thousandths) at 1965 degrees F. - soak time 25 minutes, then tempered at 950 F. for 2 hours 15 minutes. Under the 10X eye loop there is no edge warp at all.

Roger
 
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