Brine Recipe

[Folsoml]

I would like to try heat treating 1084 in brine. I've searched every variation I could think of for "brine recipe" here and a regular google search. I come up with MANY threads were people mention brine recipes, but I can't find anything that says what that recipe IS. Can someone point me in the right direction?

 

[S.Alexander]

There is no need to quench 1084 in brine. You will obtain very good results with canola oil that is warmed up to 130 degrees.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

If you used the custom search engine in the sticky, and typed in "Brine Quench" it will give you hundreds of threads with the info.


A 9% solution is .75 pounds of salt to 1 gallon water .... or .... 1 pound salt to 1.33 gallons water. Most folks make a mix with three pounds of salt and 4 gallons water to get sufficient volume. Warm the solution to 100-120F. I use a 7% solution which is 2.5 pounds salt in 5 gallons water. Others use 8%.

1084 needs a fast oil quench, and will gain nothing from a brine quench. If you are doing it for fun, go ahead ... but be prepared for broken blades.


BTW, there is a thread running right here in Shop Talk ( currently about four threads below yours) on doing brine and oil quench tests. It has the mix ratio in the first couple posts.

 

[Folsoml]

If you used the custom search engine in the sticky, and typed in "Brine Quench" it will give you hundreds of threads with the info.

I found the hundreds of threads, but the vast majority of them just mention a brine quench, but no recipe.

1084 needs a fast oil quench, and will gain nothing from a brine quench. If you are doing it for fun, go ahead ... but be prepared for broken blades.

This is even better information than what I was looking for. Thanks!

BTW, there is a thread running right here in Shop Talk ( currently about four threads below yours) on doing brine and oil quench tests. It has the mix ratio in the first couple posts.

I hate when I do that.

 

[velferd]

Personally, my best/favorite 'brine' recipe is parks 50...
I experimented extensively with brine, but found it difficult (not impossible) to get a crack free blade. In the end I gave up because I found its rather pointless, especially after your knife ends up without a point.

I you must, I suggest 8-10%, W/W. Thats 8-10g of salt per 100g water. I also suggest on oil/brine hybrid quench, wherein you do a 1second brine dip and then a cool in the oil. I found this helped reduce cracking, but by itself was not enough, other mods had to be made to help, and even then it wasn't perfect.

 

[Zach Ward]

If you used the custom search engine in the sticky, and typed in "Brine Quench" it will give you hundreds of threads with the info.


A 9% solution is .75 pounds of salt to 1 gallon water .... or .... 1 pound salt to 1.33 gallons water. Most folks make a mix with three pounds of salt and 4 gallons water to get sufficient volume. Warm the solution to 100-120F. I use a 7% solution which is 2.5 pounds salt in 5 gallons water. Others use 8%.

1084 needs a fast oil quench, and will gain nothing from a brine quench. If you are doing it for fun, go ahead ... but be prepared for broken blades.


BTW, there is a thread running right here in Shop Talk ( currently about four threads below yours) on doing brine and oil quench tests. It has the mix ratio in the first couple posts.

What happens when you push the ratio higher? Say 20% or so?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Welcome Zach,
Old thread, but the short answer is it won't help.

The maximum solubility of salt and water at 70F/20C is 36g/100ml. That is 26% by weight (36/136 = .2647).

However, when quenching, the thing you are shooting for is based on vapor jacket collapse, which is fastest around 8-10% solution at 120F/50C. This is roughly 9g/100ml ... .75#/gal