- Joined
- May 3, 2006
- Messages
- 673
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Forge cherry red?
- Thread starter warrior24
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2002
- Messages
- 3,974
I always check with a magnet, and I usually get an orange color at critical temp as well in O-1. Keep in mind that I'm just starting out as well and trying to figure this all out. What I've noticed is that there is a subtle change in the orange that you can see in a dimmly lit room at critical (I always do mine in the garage with the door shut and the grinding light on in the other side of the garage so I can somewhat see). Anyway, as I bring up to temp, it will go from a dark red to lighter red to orange. Once at this temp, it's usually still magnetic. As I soak longer, the orange will take on a more lively and brighter hue. This is usually when I've found the steel will loose magnetism, when it becomes a little more lively in color. Also, like others here have noted, make sure there are no shadows visible in the steel. To get an even temp in my one brick propane forge, I have to move the steel back and forth and occasionally find a sweet spot of heat to increase temp in the thickness while not burning the tip. When I file check, I've also noticed the scale on the blade causing the file to bite and sometimes even on the edge as it can decarb at temp sometimes. Go below this to find good steel. On the knife you're baking, grind and hone an edge on it and check it on a nail. It should shave a curl off the nail without damaging the edge.
Something I've noticed as well when magnet checking, when I touch the magnet to the steel below temp, a shadow forms inside the steel. Not sure the chemical reason behind this, perhaps something to do with the freedom of the carbon within the blade? Anyone got any ideas?
Something I've noticed as well when magnet checking, when I touch the magnet to the steel below temp, a shadow forms inside the steel. Not sure the chemical reason behind this, perhaps something to do with the freedom of the carbon within the blade? Anyone got any ideas?
the magnet is cold, and acts as a heat sink, causing the immediate surroundings to change temp relative to the rest of the blade.
Thats why once up to temp, I still stick my blade in a ten count longer in the coals after magnet testing, just to reheat what the magnet stole. Not sure just how significant that little bit of heat may be, but it seems better to be safe than sorry
Thats why once up to temp, I still stick my blade in a ten count longer in the coals after magnet testing, just to reheat what the magnet stole. Not sure just how significant that little bit of heat may be, but it seems better to be safe than sorry