Heat treat bolsters?

cpirtle

cpirtle

Leathercrafter
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Mar 28, 2001
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I'm planning to Frankenstein another folder soon.

I have some ATS-34 and 154cm I've been practicing fixed blades with and want to use a little of it to make bolsters.

Should I heat treat them after they're done to increase durability or would it be okay to leave them untreated?

I don't have a way to HT at home so I hate to send them off if it's not necessary, but I also want to carry and use the knife without concern...

If I heat them up good with a torch and then oil quench them will it increase durability? (I only have a standard plumbers torch for sweating pipes etc so I don't know how hot it'll get...)

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
If you are gonna use spare ATS or 154, then yes HT ! They will rust and corrode if you don't. Normally Titanium would do, Mokume, Stainless Damascus bolster material is usually fine. Or, like say a 303 or 304 stainless as it doesn't need treating and will hold up well. Or a Nickel silver. All I know is when I leave ATS or some similar steel lying around untreated and occasionally handled....it starts to corrode once the initial layer of scale and junk is ground off. Take care.....RDT
 
OK, 50/50... :)

Rich, since I don't need them hard enough to cut anything what would be a good "at home" method of HT that would get them hard enough not to oxidize? Can I use a propane torch and oil?

Thanks!

ps: I'm also thinking of doing a backspacer in the same material...
 
Hey Chad,
Damn bro, ya got me. I'm not sure that that will work. Don't know if ATS will ht sufficently via a torch for bolsters. I was under the impression that ATS and 154 needed a certain temperature that a torch just can't achieve ??? But Dave has tried it and says it will work so he would know better since he's experimented. I was just in my shop banging my knuckles up on the grinder:D and noticed all the BG42 and ATS I have down there, it's all corroded where there has been grinding done and it's been sitting out for a while. Anyway, it's worth a try. I guess turn it a good shade of red and then dip it in some vegetable oil ? kinda like high carbon steels can do ? Let us know how it turns out, take crare and good luck.....RDT
 
CP, you can buy a bar of 416 stainless cheap enough and it doesn't need heat treating and drills mills grinds and finishes really well.
 
You can get up to heat with a propane torch IF you have good insoluation around the heat source. That usually means insoluation fire brick and as long as you have that you may as well make the one brick forge.
Remember that it takes at least 3 quenches to bring stainless up to hardness.
Sorry about the spelling, Lynn
 
I've heard of people using a torch to do the heat treat on stainless steels that need hardening. Having worked for Devin Thomas for 4 years I learned a bit about stainless. Unlike carbon steels that go into solution quickly (less than 5 min in most cases) it takes stainless considerably more time and a much higher heat to get it into solution. And as stated by previous posts, hardenable stainless steel does not have good corrosion resistance unless fully heat-treated. I would recommend either fully hardening your bolsters or switching to 303 or something similar that does not need heat-treating.
 
OK, let's say I'm looking for a fairly scratch-proof, rust resistant bolster that doesn't need heat treating and takes a great polish. What to I pick?


303
304
416

or

Nickel/silver.


Steve
 
I'd bet virtually everyone here will say 416. I don't believe a better material for knife furniture exists.

Well, there's Timascus... :cool:

But 416 covers every base, and 10 years from now it'll look as fresh as the day you finished the knife.
 
Not to disagree with Dave, but just for the record, 416 benefits in corrosion resistance and scratch resistance from heat treating. Some makers, however, do not do this and have excellent results.
 
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