Hardening a file with butane/propane

[Hengelo_77]

I've bought a torch to use for hardening.
I've stacked a few fire bricks together to have an app. 3"x3"x3" space I can blow a flame in and heat a piece of steel.

The torch came with a butane/propane 70/30 filling.

Is that any good?

I can heat the steel to a semi bright red and to non-magnetic.
But I think it takes quite long (several minutes for a small test piece of steel)
And I can't get it past the semi bright red colour to orange.

I use cheap olive oil to quence.

Am I using wrong materials or am I doing something wrong here?

the torch:

the gas:

 

[barnett25]

Theoretically butane burns at the same temperature as propane (http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/flame-temperatures-gases-d_422.html) . Maybe that style burner just uses too little volume of gas to create enough heat.

I know people have good luck with the Bernzomatic style torches. http://www.lowes.com/pd_299446-717-2880088_0_?productId=3133747&Ntt=bernxomatic&Ntk=i_products&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?newSearch=true$Ntt=bernxomatic&spellCorrectedTerm=bernzomatic

 

[p moore]

This one hooks to a standard bottle, and burns pretty hot. You could also build a small one brick forge and use this one.

Paul

 

[Patrickknives]

The problem you will have with all torches is heat loss, to get to temp it takes alot of heat and if the torch is too small you just cant do it. The JTH-7 is the smallest I ever got to work with a small forge set up.

 

[Hengelo_77]

So can I assume that the flame is hot enough, but to small?
Can I solve that problem by adding a 2nd tourch?
( I ask becouse I'll have to buy the 2nd torch and I don't want to waste my money if it won't work)

 

[p moore]

Sorry for the late reply. The problem is not the torch, but the open air, and heat loss. If you were to incase the heat, say in a forge or fire bricks, you could better control this loss of heat. Have you done ony more on this project?

Paul

 

[Hengelo_77]

I've only heated up a few test pieces.
I've build a structure out of hard fire bricks with a hollow space app. 3"deep x 1,5"wide x 2"high with an opening at the front.
I hold the piece of steel in the hollow and blow the flame directly on the steel.
From what I've seen of one brick forges the dimentions I have aren't that different.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

You need a larger torch, and heat-reflecting surfaces.
I don't know if the standard propane and MAPP gas torches commonly found in the US are available to you. If they are, that is what you need.