Edge quenching 5160?

flatgrinder

flatgrinder

Joined
Dec 20, 2005
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Can you use an oxy-mapp gas torch to heat up the edge of a knife made from 5160 to edge quench it? Has anyone tried this?

Or am I better off with an oxy-acetylene torch? If this is better, which tips are recommended?

P.S. It's a bowie knife with a 10" blade (and 5/16" thick at the spine with a distal taper).

Thanks! :thumbup:
 
The mapps gas torch wont get it hot enough. Use the oxy/ecetylene torch with a welding tip. Ive tried a rose bud and a cutting torch tip with good success but had to be careful to not stop and overheat a spot. Turn the lights out for best results and have the magnet clamped down to the bench.
 
I would recommend a full quench and then drawing a differential temper with a torch while the edge is in a pan with 1/4" of water.After the spine is drawn, temper twice at 450F.
 
I use an oxy propane set up and it works great oxy acetelene will work also. I use either a large welding tip or a small rosebud. If you are useing the small disposable tanks you might not have enough gas to do a 10 inch blade. You may want to try a few shorter bades first and work your way up to the 10 incher. The longest blade I have ever done with the torch is 12 inches but it took me almost 30 minutes to get the heat even. On my larger blades I use the forge now with a temp probe.

Chuck
 
The Mapp/Oxy torches are ok for drawing a tang, etc. Igot the tyang on a hunter too hard to drill.....probably because I thought it was 5160 but it was actually 1080...lol. I stuck the blade my bucket of water that I use to cool during grinding and drew the tang and everything turned out fine. I haven't tried to heatup for a quench, but i can get my forge to stay at 1500 +- 25 degrees for long periods of time, so i don't need to use the torch.
 
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