Bending heat treated & tempered 440c steel

[ShiftyLiquors]

Is it possible to reheat and bend a small area of 440c steel without damaging the blade portion of a full tang knife?

 

[Bill DeShivs]

No, it is not possible without affecting the heat treatment.
You can possibly bend it cold, but there is the chance of breaking it.

 

[David Martin]

I'm going with Bill on this. I wouldn't try it. DM

 

[ShiftyLiquors]

No, it is not possible without affecting the heat treatment.
You can possibly bend it cold, but there is the chance of breaking it.

Thanks for the insight. I figured as much, I'm more familiar with high carbon steels. I have yet to delve into
stainless. Cheers!

 

[Wowbagger]

You might be able to take some slight misalignment out of a blade by bowing it way over but to actually try to put a bend in it is shear madness. This is the equivalent of trying to put a kink in a leaf spring on a car . . . and I have bent blades way, way, way over while being held in a vise. It came right back to straight with no change. Pretty impressive . . . and that was just a big #12 Opinel . . . a $17 knife.

If you want an actual bend in it you need to anneal the blade, bend it, then get it reheat treated. I don't know if this is even economically possible to do with 440C. If it were basic high carbon steel like in the Opinel or a big file I would say NO PROBLEM . . . I have done it my self with an Oxy Acet torch, some fire brick and a bucket of water.