file guide hardness?

[MarkJeffrey]

I just made a new file guide out of 5/16 O1, I heat treated it the same way I would a knife.. evenheat 1500*, 10 minute soak, 2 tempers at 400* one and a half hour each. But, I am wondering, should I maybe redo this and only temper it for maybe half the time? or less? lower temp? A file with a higher RC will cut into that the way it is now. Is straight out of the quench an option?

Any opinions? Thanks

 

[Fochops]

Your time is fine. You want a higher temp to get a higher hardness.

 

[MarkJeffrey]

Lower temp on the temper cycles is what I meant

 

[MarkJeffrey]

Your time is fine. You want a higher temp to get a higher hardness.

I'm not sure I follow what youre saying

 

[Fochops]

Sorry, your temper time is ok. Might want to do 2 cycles at 2 hours each. But if you bring the temp up it will yield a hardness higher on the rc scale.

 

[Fochops]

I just checked, my dyslexia kicked in. You want a lower temp for a higher hardness. 300 degrees yields around 65

 

[AVigil]

Don't temper the O1. You want it hard

 

[samuraistuart]

Mine are O1, tempered at 300F one hour.

 

[scott.livesey]

a one hour temper at 275F should give you Rc65-66 and stabilize the steel

 

[MarkJeffrey]

thanks fellas, I don't know why I went about the normal tempering process, duh. I'll redo the heat treatment on it and it should work much better I'm sure.

 

[Fish30114]

a one hour temper at 275F should give you Rc65-66 and stabilize the steel

That's the ticket--Yeah!!!