Harvey Dean Huckleberry

[Keith Montgomery]

Prior to heat treating, the blade is heated to approximately 600 degrees with an acetylene torch and coated with Brownell’s non-scale compound.

Blade being coated with non-scale compound. This step should be done outside with a dust mask. This stuff is pretty toxic.

A look at non-scale compound on blade. The blade is ready to be put in the furnace for hardening.

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Harvey uses an 18-inch chambered even heat electric oven. For 1084 he brings the blade up to 1500 degrees. When the blade is evenly heated he brings the blade out of the heat treating oven and quenches it point down in oil. He uses olive oil. It makes your shop smell good and does not have much of a flash point.

The blade coming out of oil after hardening. At this point, if everything went right, the non-scale compound should come right off the blade. The blade can be straightened at this point before cooling, if any warp-age occurred. If there is a little non-scale compound left on the blade you can remove it with warm water and soap when the blade is cool. At this time the blade will be a gray color and ready to be placed in the oven for the draw cycle. Harvey sets his oven on 450 degrees for 1084. He draws the temper twice for two hours each. This gives a Rockwell of 58, which is where he prefers this steel. (Of course this is in his oven.)

After it comes out of the oven the blade is put edge down in water, spine and ricasso are heated to a dark bluish gray color to soften it to a spring-tempered spine. This process is done three times. After this the Huckleberry is ready for finish grinding and completion of the knife.

 

[Bailey Bradshaw]

Who knew Harvey owned sneakers.....

 

[xaman]

I'm loving this thread, thanks Keith!

 

[RogerP]

Who knew Harvey owned sneakers.....

Great thread Keith - you must be itching with anticipation.

Roger

 

[stabber]

Great thread! Any pics of her finished up?

 

[Bruce Bump]

I'm enjoying this thread Keith. Thanks for taking the time for us to enjoy Harveys process.
One question: You said he does this process 3 times, do you mean just the spine draw 3 times or the entire heating/quenching/tempering/spine draw 3 times?

 

[jklein7401]

Great thread Keith, appreciate the effort you are putting into it. It looks like you will be rewarded with one beautiful knife,

Congratulations, Jon

 

[Bastid]

I'm very excited. I consider Harvey to be one of the elite knifemakers and I am going to be very proud to own one of his knives.

Shoot, I am excited too and it is not even my knife. Thanks to both of you for this thread.