Dangerous Situation: a Newbie with a Piece of Steel and Without a Clue :)

B

bullet308

Joined
Nov 24, 2000
Messages
19
Hi, all:

I have worked as a gunsmith in years past and have experience in working with machine tools and other metal fabrication techinques. I have also often wanted to make a knife or two but havent done so.

The other day, I was down at the local Metals Supermarket and spied a piece of steel that looked like a canidate for knife material in their discout rack and jumped all over it. For about $9, I got a precision ground piece of A2 36" long, 2" wide and .125' thick. Not bad, eh?
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I also have a pyrometer, but it turns out that it only goes up to 1500 degrees, which I discover is not sufficient for A2.
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Unless I miss my guess, I imagine that I can make a reasonable heat treat furnace out of a pile of fire brick, the pyrometer and an old propane fish cooker I have. Well, perhaps not for the A2 but perhaps good enough for some, say, 1095?

I recently discovered that Texas Knifematers Supply willl heat treat A2 for about $6 a blade. Looks like a bargain to me, at least for the few pieces I am looking to do, which will be a few simple full tang knifes via stock removal. Probably, handle construction will encorporate some black linen micarta, glue and stainless steel screws of my own fabrication.

Questions:

What are some good steels that can be worked with via stock removal that will harden up at >1500 deg. F? How about a good source for a replacement pyrometer?

Will Texas Knifemakers Supply do a good enough job to let me make use of this A2 I have here?

Other comments would be appreaciated.

 
1095, O-1, L6, most of the basic high carbon stuff is hot enough at 1450 degrees. I haven't tried texasknifemkars supply HT, but I know Rob Simonich HT A2, with cryo included for about $8 or 10. Give him an email!
 
Bullet308, Try obtaining some simple carbon steels like Taz said. O-1 is good stuff but expensive. You can get 1095 for 1/3 the price. I should be getting some L6 which is supposed to be out of some old saw blades. These steels will treat when they reach non magnetic ( straw colored red) with a cutting torch assuming the blade is not HUGE. I use the torch at my mechanics job ( cannot afford one yet) to heat treat my blades, then I take them home and put in our oven. Just make sure all the oil is wiped off. Tends to piss off the wife if it is not. I have a little 1080 you are welcome to try if you want. It is 5/16" thick and 1 1/2" wide. Better have a good grinder or forge cause this stuff even though annealed is a bitch to try and flat plane to to the proper thickness even if profiled first.

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Vaquero57
McAlpin Bladesmithing

"I am a shootist" Clay Allison
 
I have used Texas Knifemakers Supply and the service is great.They do quality work.Paul Bos is probably the best for heattreating there is.Simple carbon steels can be done in an oven like you describe,but I prefer a torch and magnet.A2,D2,and the stainless steels have a very narrow range for getting it right,and are tough for the newbie.Go ahead and pay someone else for now until better eqiptment and knowledge come along.
 
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