Black Diamond Tanto

[Robert Mayo]

I decided to try a tanto from an old black diamond mill file and after reading this article http://www.dfoggknives.com/waterhardening.htm i decided to water harden it as well. I had an analog pyrometer from a kiln so i drilled a hole in the end of my forge rear door and put a piece of heavy wall chrome molly pipe inside the forge and heat treat inside the pipe. Now i know close to what the actual temp is inside the pipe. I held it at 1425 for a good 5 min after reaching temp then quenched in hot water straight from the tap. In for three seconds then out and back in at that point it blew the furnace cement off. I then put it straight into a preheated oven for three two hour tempering cycles at 400 degrees.
I am not sure how i will finish it yet but i am pleased with it so far. Thanks for looking and all the great info here!
Oh also the blade is 8" by 1 1/8"
Bob

 

[mdoyle]

Sweet Bob!:thumbup::thumbup:
Matt

 

[Matthew Gregory]

God I love hamon...

Nice one, Robert!

How far up the grit 'scale' did you take the finish, if I may ask?

 

[Sam Salvati]

Nice hamon Robert!

 

[Bailey Knives]

Hamon looks amazing. Are you concerned at all with the break in the hamon where the area of softer steel seems to touch the edge?

 

[Robert Mayo]

God I love hamon...

Nice one, Robert!

How far up the grit 'scale' did you take the finish, if I may ask?

Matt it was sanded to 1500 grit after the tempering cycles then etched in ferric cloride for 45 seconds, washed with water and baking soda, then polished with flitz.

Bob

 

[Robert Mayo]

Hamon looks amazing. Are you concerned at all with the break in the hamon where the area of softer steel seems to touch the edge?

Not at all i checked that area with a file when i first seen it and it is just as hard as the rest of the edge. But i do not know what caused it there was no clay that close to the edge.

Bob