blade fixtures for HT'ing

A

AWGunS

Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Messages
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Are blade fixtures required for heat treating blades? I swear I have seen foil packs just placed on the bottom of the oven and HT'ed and removed with a fork to be air quenched.

I have a pair of heavy welders gloves. Ihave seen HT'ing forks that look like the forks I have used to cook hotdogs over an open fire. Anything more to the ones advdertised for HT'ing?

Getting ready to purchase a kiln, and want to have my ducks in a row when I place the order.
 
If you place the foil packs on the bottom of the kiln, I'd be concerned about uneven heating.

Ordering two or three ceramic blade holding fixtures is the easiest way to go.

As for removing the blades, buy a pair of long tongs/pliers. I actually use a giant pair of needle nose pliers.

You really don't want to drop an 1800 degree blade!
 
I use a piece of 3/4 angle iron with notches cut in one side. Holds them up just fine, although it does oxidize away over time, particuarly at stainless heat treating temperatures. Don't want to just lay them on the floor, heats unevenly.
 
Calling USA tomorrow to order a Evenheat KF18 tomorrow, along with ceramic blade holding fixture. After doing some searching and watching, I definitely need something to keep them upright. I don't have a clue what I was watching that gave me the idea I can lay them down....


Thanks guys
 
So far I have done all my blades edge down so it is already in position when you remove them to quench. I have not had any problems with blade warp, but I have also only worked with O1, 5160, and 1095 so far.
 
Edge up.

Putting pressure on a thin, hot edge doesn't sound like a good idea.
 
I use a fixture now, but I used to use a piece of firebrick notched to hold the packet up. As mentioned, laying them on the floor can result in uneven heating. I place my blades edge up so that the edge of the blade is closer to the middle of the oven which is also near where the tip of the thermocouple reads the temp.

As for quenching, going from edge up to edge down, I just use a supinated (palm-up) hand position, grab the spine area of the blade with my tongs, and then rotate to a pronated position (palm-down) as I move to the quench.

Remember it helps to fully heat-soak the oven so that the temperature is more accurate and more stable. A heavy oven has a lot of mass, and the inside may be slightly cooler than the actual reading until all of that mass has had a chance to soak up the heat and thus radiate it back into the chamber.

--nathan
 
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