Cru Forge V Quench result

Karl B. Andersen

Karl B. Andersen

Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Messages
5,699
Cru Forge V.
It's not uncommon that I get distinct "zones" for I guess what we'll call quench "scale" when I am after hard edge and soft spine.
But I'll admit that I don't really recall the effect being so distinct and discernable. Almost as if there is a gradual layering of hardness from edge to spine as shown in the different "zones" of quench effect.
This is one of those blades that should be broken in half and sent off for serious testing.
I get similar results from file testing as I did the hunter I just finished.
She's in temper now, so I'll look at it more closely tomorrow.
Fun stuff!

cfvb1-2.jpg


cfvb2-2.jpg
 
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looking forward to the results, and seeing the blade as you finish it out etc. most importantly post performance results.

I may order some of this next week, talking to Dan Farr at Blade convinced me to at least give it a try.

Always good to have a few good sources of steel!
 
Karl, what did you quench it in and what was the temp of the oil?
- Thanks
 
Troop said:
Karl, how's it coming?
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I was off for two days at a traditional archery gathering in Michigan.
I got that blade finish sanded on Friday. Some pretty amazing stuff!??!
At 400 grit, I was not even insulting the surface of the steel. It was almost like I was using 1200 grit.
I got a very distinctive differential line along the transition where that dark center line meets the lighter zone above it.
In other words, the unhardened zone of the blade includes the portion I clayed and the lighter portion below it.
The hardened portion includes the lighter edge section AND the darker area above it.
400 grit doesn't even hardly effect the hardened area.
 
That is interesting, one of the design parameters was a steel that was not so alloy
laden that it could not be easily hand finished.
Loioking forward to trying some of it myself soon.
 
Sounds like it's "kinda-sorta" a shallow-hardening steel. Good thing you used the Parks 50. With a bunch of guys recommending a HT like O-1, I was thinking of using Parks AAA.
Thank you, Karl.
- Mitch
 
I want to try to nip any bad info in the bud so to speak. Cru Forge V is not shallow hardening, It has been tested by Dr. Batson in 5 different speed quenching oils and hardened is all of them. Here is a cross section of a blade that was tested from back to edge as well as side to side. Full quench, back drawn with a torch to blue, etc. See slide 5.

http://gallery.me.com/ddfarr/100032
 
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Sounds like it's "kinda-sorta" a shallow-hardening steel. Good thing you used the Parks 50. With a bunch of guys recommending a HT like O-1, I was thinking of using Parks AAA.
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Dan beat me to it, but just from the amount of Cr, Mn and V, it would be a very deep hardening steel, that would harden in almost anything. And I would still recommend a heat treat like 01.

May need to try some of this stuff soon.
 
I would assume the numbers from Doc's testing were pre-temper? Pretty impressive overall. Depending on cost comparison to O-1, I may have to switch over...
 
Don Hanson III said:
Dan beat me to it, but just from the amount of Cr, Mn and V, it would be a very deep hardening steel, that would harden in almost anything. And I would still recommend a heat treat like 01.

May need to try some of this stuff soon.
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How do we dovetail that with the advice from Crucible to treat it like W2?
 
Karl,
I have not seen anyone suggest heat treat like W2. I have talked to the Crucible metallurgy lab and that is not what they are telling me. Do you have a copy of the Crucible spec sheet?
Dan
 
Karl, the HT on all fairly simple 1% carbon steels will be similar. The big diff is W2 is an extremely shallow hardening steel and Cru V is a very deep hardening steel. Temps will be about the same but Cru V will benefit more from a good soak time and doesn't need as fast a quench as W2.
 
Right on Don. I should have been more clear. Temps similar for similar carbon content, hardenability different due to alloy content.

Dan
 
Gotcha.
I was starting to lean that way in my calculations from the recent comments made.
I will switch to Texaco "A" in my subsequent blades.
Thanks, guys.
 
Karl, I feel you will get a tougher blade, quenching Cru V in a slower oil.

Although it should work fine, I'd save the Park's 50 for W2, W1, 1095 etc.
 
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