Did I mess up?

R

running bird

Joined
Sep 29, 2015
Messages
498
So I just did the hardening step on my knife, specifically a clay temper, I did everything right with setting up the clay, I let it harden over night and I had wire wrapped with the clay to help keep it on, I heated the blade up right ( latest I think I did ), when i worked my way through the water I didn't feel or hear any pings or pops so the blade is safe

But...

The blade didn't warp back like I expected with a clay temper, in fact it didn't warp back at all!
Is this bad?
Did I mess up?
I don't know if there is a temper line, I'm in the process of polishing and sharpening so I won't know for a while

Any help would be nice
 
By "warp back" I assume you mean form a sori. Sori is hard to predict, and depends on the thickness and length of the blade. Most folks leave a little room in the width to grind in more or less sori as needed.

When asking a specific question, give the details. Metal type, knife type, length/width/thickness, quench method and medium, and any details that will matter. It is pretty hard to give advice when you don't know the whole situation.
 
The steel is blue#2, it's about 1/8" think and 8" over all, and the width is somwhere around 3/4", I quenched in water for 4-5 seconds then in peanut oil until it was cooled, just plain blade shape ( slight tanto, almost not notable)
 
With an 8" overall knife (I'm guessing the blade must be 5 inches or less in length?) you are not likely to see much in the way of sori.

A soak in vinegar or ferric chloride will let you know if the hamon is good, even with a 220 grit finish.
 
GHEzell, the next few days I'm going to be cleaning it up with some sand paper (120,220,320) then work on it with some some water stones ( 800,1000). After that I was planning on etching in hot vinegar. I'm hoping that will reveal the hamon and then I will know if it worked or not

I am a little disappointed that there isn't a sori, but as long as it tempered right I won't care
 
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