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good steel for first folder
- Thread starter miden
- Start date
I wouldn't consider O1 any harder to heat treat than 1095 and vice-versa--they both require a soak, which is difficult to accomplish unless you have the proper equipment.
If you dont have means to soak, 1084 would be the only thing I would recommend. Otherwise, pick whatever you want and outsource your HT.
Well, I'm no expert but I believe the soaks are quite different.
"For hardening keep it at or below 1475F with no more than a 10 minute soak being necessary. Quench in a fast oil like Parks #50. Tempering should be several one hour cycles, what temperature you need to go to will depend greatly on how much you maximized your hardness in the hardening operation, folks who don't soak will find a greater decrease in HRC with less heat while those who got good solution and nailed the quench will be surprised at how hot they need to temper 1095 to bring down that HRC number."
Kevin Cashen
I can further tell u that I learned the 1095 ht from an abs mastersmith and that was consistent with the above method.
I believe O1 is a ten minute minimum and can/should be longer
Soaking 1095 for a few minutes (in a forge) is easier that soaking O1 for a longer period IMO.
For this reason I have never tried O1 myself as I don't think I can hold the soak time long enough/accurately enough.
However my 1095 has shown to be quite good with a hardness test for RC and use test.
In fact a customer reported he skinned a pig with my 1095 friction folder just fine.
Regards
Harbeer
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Thanks for the wisdom Gentlemen.
It would of course make better sense to outsource the HT to get it done properly but I am up in Montreal and there aren't any guys close by that I know of that can do it, hence my idea to use a "simpler" steel . I certainly cannot HT ATS 34 properly so I figured it might be more attainable to do a non SS steel myself.
I should have known better than to think anything is simple.:foot:
Thanks for your advice and time. I see a lot of folks harden the blade before grinding the geometry - is hardened 1084 reasonably easy to grind after HT?
Mike
It would of course make better sense to outsource the HT to get it done properly but I am up in Montreal and there aren't any guys close by that I know of that can do it, hence my idea to use a "simpler" steel . I certainly cannot HT ATS 34 properly so I figured it might be more attainable to do a non SS steel myself.
I should have known better than to think anything is simple.:foot:
Thanks for your advice and time. I see a lot of folks harden the blade before grinding the geometry - is hardened 1084 reasonably easy to grind after HT?
Mike
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2011
- Messages
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You can probably get away with 1084 or 1080... (excellent steel) like you said heat treat is far from simple though. Also consider using a precision ground tool steel as it is at least flat to start with.
You should have no problems grinding 1084 post heat treat if you grind slow, cool often and use new belts. Keeping things flat, parallel and square is the key with folders.
You should have no problems grinding 1084 post heat treat if you grind slow, cool often and use new belts. Keeping things flat, parallel and square is the key with folders.
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2011
- Messages
- 16,487
Daniel, thanks for the advice.
Fortunately I have access to a surface grinder at work so that part will doable enough.
Thanks.
Mike
Surface grinder - awesome! That will do the trick, probably the best tool to have for folders.
What kind of folder are you making?
