- Joined
- Apr 14, 2006
- Messages
- 3,816
Here are a couple of pics of what i consider my first "True" hamon. I have been working on how to get defined results for the past 2 weeks. I purchased some W-2 from Don Hanson a couple of months ago and finally was able to forge a blade to try. Though I have been very successful in acheiving a temper line via the edge heat method (per the ED Fowler process). After reading several posts regarding the true Hamon and seeing the definitive demarcation (nioi) and clouds (nie) and the best with the utsuri, I had to try to do the "true" hamon. I have been playing with clay coating for over 10 years now but did not understand what the total process was. Though i still do not fully understand what the difference is yet, I will continue to experiment until I can produce repeatable and reliable results.
I Heat treated this blade 5 times. First I clay backed prior to each ht. The first attempt was in my forge with a pipe inside to provide indirect heat. I quenched in 11 second oil I purchased from McMaster Carr heated to 150F. I brought the blade up to 1425F and quenched. No Hamon. I then tried the same in distilled water heated to 150F. I got a very narrow Hamon right on the edge. I tried the same at 1450f in oil. Hamon was barely visible again right along edge. I broke down and called Don. Two main mistakes I was making. 1. clay was too thick and 2. I did not soak the blade long enough.
I then went back and put on a very thin coating of clay. Then attempted another heat at 1450f and queched in water. THe clay blew off one side and i wound up with a horse shoe. Clay was too thin.
What i did different.
Made up a template to ensure both side of the blade were identically coated with the clay 1/8 inch thick. Soaked the blade at 1475f for 10 minutes. Then quenched in the oil pre heated to 125f.
Next time I will soak for 15-20 minutes. The clay really insulates the blade. It takes a lot of heat to get just under the clay. I will make sure the temp in the pipe is at or below the temp I desire. You can see a difference in the edge were it probably was slightly over heated.
This is fun yet extremely agravating at the same time. Hope I havn't rambled too much.
Chuck
I Heat treated this blade 5 times. First I clay backed prior to each ht. The first attempt was in my forge with a pipe inside to provide indirect heat. I quenched in 11 second oil I purchased from McMaster Carr heated to 150F. I brought the blade up to 1425F and quenched. No Hamon. I then tried the same in distilled water heated to 150F. I got a very narrow Hamon right on the edge. I tried the same at 1450f in oil. Hamon was barely visible again right along edge. I broke down and called Don. Two main mistakes I was making. 1. clay was too thick and 2. I did not soak the blade long enough.
I then went back and put on a very thin coating of clay. Then attempted another heat at 1450f and queched in water. THe clay blew off one side and i wound up with a horse shoe. Clay was too thin.
What i did different.
Made up a template to ensure both side of the blade were identically coated with the clay 1/8 inch thick. Soaked the blade at 1475f for 10 minutes. Then quenched in the oil pre heated to 125f.
Next time I will soak for 15-20 minutes. The clay really insulates the blade. It takes a lot of heat to get just under the clay. I will make sure the temp in the pipe is at or below the temp I desire. You can see a difference in the edge were it probably was slightly over heated.
This is fun yet extremely agravating at the same time. Hope I havn't rambled too much.
Chuck
and your statement above is very true. My instructions for heat treating W2 (thin clay, low temp, long soak, fast oil) are for maximum activity (high cool factor) in and along the hamon. The results will vary from one maker to the next and lots of practice will get you farther down the road than anything else.
