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Hardness testing techniques
- Thread starter langchop
- Start date
You might check on ebay for an Ames Hardness Tester. I've picked up 3 in the past few years each for under $200. Be sure and get a test block too.
With this type of tester I haven't been able to get a good reading on the blade bevels so I forge a test piece out of the same steel I am using and run it the same forgeing and heat treating cycles as my blades. Then I check hardness on the test piece. Keep your test piece thin so you get accurate reading compared to the cutting edge on your blades. Also keep the surfaces parallel so the readings are accurate.
Daniel
With this type of tester I haven't been able to get a good reading on the blade bevels so I forge a test piece out of the same steel I am using and run it the same forgeing and heat treating cycles as my blades. Then I check hardness on the test piece. Keep your test piece thin so you get accurate reading compared to the cutting edge on your blades. Also keep the surfaces parallel so the readings are accurate.
Daniel
Good Rockwell hardness testers are not inexpensive.
We will not be able to get a reliable reading on a bevel. I do my testing as close to Ricasso I can, on a flat, without the indenter dimple(s) showing after handle material is attached. It is most important the indenter be perpendicular to the test piece and that the test piece be reasonably smooth in surface and with all decarburation from heat treat removed. Shallow hardening steels are especially trying to test to a good indication of edge hardness. Medium and deep hardening steels are a cake walk by comparison. Once you have determined a good heat treating recipe for a particular blade and have become satisfied with its results testing becomes less time consuming because of confidence and past test results. Especially for shallow hardening steels a good old fashion file test doesn't hurt, just to be sure all is okay.
rlinger
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We will not be able to get a reliable reading on a bevel. I do my testing as close to Ricasso I can, on a flat, without the indenter dimple(s) showing after handle material is attached. It is most important the indenter be perpendicular to the test piece and that the test piece be reasonably smooth in surface and with all decarburation from heat treat removed. Shallow hardening steels are especially trying to test to a good indication of edge hardness. Medium and deep hardening steels are a cake walk by comparison. Once you have determined a good heat treating recipe for a particular blade and have become satisfied with its results testing becomes less time consuming because of confidence and past test results. Especially for shallow hardening steels a good old fashion file test doesn't hurt, just to be sure all is okay.
rlinger
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Checked ebay... got one ames tester at the moment for $299... bit pricey and I think it said USA only... but it looks like the kind of apparatus I had in mind.. What would you guys say is the average hardness of a file?? ( and hence i would then know that the knife is above this value if it doesnt scratch) Thanks
- Joined
- Dec 2, 1999
- Messages
- 9,910
Has anybody here bought the import bench model testers? They are around$750 new.
Bruce, I bought one several years ago after Kevin Cashen remarked that he had one and it worked great. You will want to get a couple of Wilson or Starrett test blocks. You can calibrate the unit pretty easily. Mine works perfectly. The only problem I ever had was an internal bushing slid out of its hole and jammed up the mechanism. With some difficulty, I was able to restake it in place and it has been fine ever since. I got mine from Grizzly since they have a showroom right here in town, which meant no shipping.