Custom Programs for kilns.

[J. Hoffman]

I got my new kiln set-up today, and I've read the programming instructions and watched all the videos. I have a question relating to the use of the custom programs as far as knife makers are concerned. I got the evenheat 22.5" with the Rampmaster. If I'm trying to set a custom program, should I do a program for just the hardening, and a separate program for the tempering or can I do it all under one program? Example: ramp up to 1950, soak for 20 minutes (quench of course) and then down to 400 soak for 2 hours, drop to 100 and then ramp back to 400 and soak again for 2 hours. Is it ok for the blades to sit in the kiln when the temp is dropping from 400 to room temperature, or should I take them out?
Thanks
Jess

 

[MMuhlhauser]

Howdy! Congrats on the new kiln. My personal preference is for two different programs. I actually never considered doing it as one, which just proves that you are smarter than me I am a bit picky about being consistent, and an oven will cool down at different rates depending on how much stock you have in there. 5 blades holds more heat than 1 and is slower to cool / slower to get to temperature. I think one reason I don't do it all in one it is that we have other steps involved such as a liquid nitrogen cryogenic treatment before the temper (or between depending on the steel).
So we have a cheat sheet posted near the oven with the two programs for each steel. And just to be completely safe, I put the program info on the checklist which accompanies each knife as it goes through our production. Feel free to check out the heat treating info on our section on How the Knives are Made on my website. Perhaps there is something helpful there.
I hope I didn't just confuse things even more! Best of luck with the new kiln!

 

[J. Hoffman]

Ok, thanks. I don't have a dewar, so Cryo never even crossed my mind. I think I will make different programs for the hardening and then separate programs for the tempering.