file knife heat treating

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emrhuskers

emrhuskers

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So im usually a stock removal guy but, ive been trying my hand at forging a little and im using files to start out with. My question is how do i heat treat theses things? Ive tried the usual heat to non-magnetic and quench in oil, but this never seems to work. What else should i try? Thanks
 
I believe most files are O1, and that is one of the easiest steels to HT.

Are you using properly heated quenching oil? I don't think one gets optimal results quenching in cold motor oil.
 
I don't know of any files that are made from 01, and 01 is not an easy steel to HT right, without strict temp control for the soaks.
emrhuskers, you need to read the sticky concerning hypereutectic steels, and how to HT them. I am not brushing you off, but there is a good deal of info you should know and understand about it all in order to get a workable HT for your file blades. Go here, and you should get the needed info

Heat Treatment - The Process and Principals of Quenching - by Kevin Cashen
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/th...s-of-quenching

Working with Three types of Steel - by kevin Cashen
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/th...ee-steel-types
 
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grizzled gizzard said:
I believe most files are O1, and that is one of the easiest steels to HT.

Are you using properly heated quenching oil? I don't think one gets optimal results quenching in cold motor oil.
Click to expand...


I believe that is incorrect on two points.

In the past the good USA made files were likely 1095 or W1 ish

Somebody has had files tested, others have been in contact with Nicholson.
Search these and other forums like IFI and you can find those posts.


Even if it was O1, I would not call that one of the easiest to HT.
I would call eutectic steel one of the easiest to HT.
LINK

O1 needs temp control and controlled soak time to get those alloy elements in solution.


Edited to add, Wick beat me to it.
 
If your not useing niclelson files or other name brands,the files you have may be case hardened mild steel and will never harden.If your gonna burn fuel and timeyou should at least use 3 bucks worth of known steel.
Stan
 
Best way to heat treat files is throw them out, buy a new bar of steel from Aldo (njsteelbaron.com) and follow the directions for heat treating that steel of known chemistry. I made my first couple of knives out of Nicholson files 30 years ago, since then a whole lot has changed, most files are no longer W1, W2, or 1095,most files now are case hardened mild crap which will not harden through no matter what you do to it

-Page
 
As others have said unless there old brand name files (which would of been 1095, w1/w2) then there probably some time of case hardened mild steel. I'd get a bar (or few) of 1084/1095 from Aldo, with 1084 being far easier to get a good HT. O1 is very hard to HT despite what was said in the 2nd post.
 
At the risk of contradicting some very fine knifemakers, I'll take a shot at the OP's question. Seems the question was "how to heat treat" not "what steel should I use." If you're using a good file, and if you're going non-magnetic then quench in oil, you could have a couple of areas to improve. One, simply nonmagnetic isn't hot enough. You need 50 more degrees or so, up to 1475-1500. A five minute soak wouldn't hurt either. Also assuming you've normalized a couple of times to get the grain size back down after forging. Two, "oil" is not all the same. If you're using motor oil, etc, that is part of your problem. If you're using heated canola or vet mineral oil, you'll be better off.
 
I have had good luck with files, but I only use Nicholson files. And I have good luck with peanut oil. A tip I picked up from Mohr Knives out of Tennessee. A lots less foul fumes than motor oil and less scale. The scale that was there comes off a lot easier.
 
I've seen at least one or two makers just temper them a little softer and start grinding. Now granted, that's a little harder on the belts, and you need carbide drills, but it removes a step or two. No need to fully anneal, re-harden, and THEN temper that way. Of course, that it just one of a few ways to skin the proverbial cat.
 
Fellows, he made this knife three years ago. Please look at the date before resurrecting an old thread.

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