Just finished a knife made from the remnants of a broken condor machete, and the steel will not hold a good edge. I was wondering how I should go about hardening and tempering the 1075 steel? From what Ive seen, It is a oil quench steel, and has a high tempering temp. Do you guys have any experience with this steel?
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Hardening and tempering 1075?
- Thread starter nc527
- Start date
How finicky is the austinizeation? I do not have a precision temp controled forge. Can I just get it non magnetic, then quench in motor oil?
Not if you want it well done. Bring it to non-magnetic, increase the temp by about two shades of red, and quench in warmed canola oil. Acually, you can do as you like, but motor oil sucks as a quench, and non-magnetic is only 1414°. Not hot enough to get a good solution of the iron and carbon.
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
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If using just a magnet, get it to non-magnetic, and then heat just a tad more. You want it about 50F higher than non-magnetic.
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there should be a color vs temperature table. the color little bit darker than light cherry color should be the range arround 1460~1490f.
heat it pass non magnetic, look at the change of steel color. but becareful, eyes can be confused if you looking at something in slow change too long.
this is what i do without a temperature meter. look at the steel, then relex your eyes on something more confortable to watch like a pretty woman's body something. and look at the steel again after 10~15 seconds, you may able to figure the little bit change on color. trust your frist sense on the colors.
btw, do not look at the pretty girl for too long, that cause you over cook the blade lol.
heat it pass non magnetic, look at the change of steel color. but becareful, eyes can be confused if you looking at something in slow change too long.
this is what i do without a temperature meter. look at the steel, then relex your eyes on something more confortable to watch like a pretty woman's body something. and look at the steel again after 10~15 seconds, you may able to figure the little bit change on color. trust your frist sense on the colors.
btw, do not look at the pretty girl for too long, that cause you over cook the blade lol.
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btw, don't you need to anneal it before the hardening?