Heat treat problems

[Learningtoforge]

Hey,

I'm fairly new to knife making and just joined. I made myself a coffee can forge and have made a few successful blades.

I tried making a blade out of an old wrench and for the life of me cannot get it to harden properly.

I tried quenching in oil- got it up to temp with the magnet check, normalized it three times before the hardening quench. It didn't pass the file test.

So I tried it with water which seemed to work very slightly better but still not hard.

My question is have I put it through the hardening process too many times- grown the crystal structure out too long for it to be a successful blade and not just a learning experience?

Is there something else I can do without being able to precisely gauge the temperature and control oxygen levels?

 

[Ken H>]

Working with an old wrench? There is no way to tell what metal you have, and if it will even harden at all. From the sound of it, the metal simply won't harden since you've heated to slightly over non-magnetic (correct?), and quenching in water didn't make it hard. I'd expect it's not high enough carbon to harden.

What part of the world are you in? This helps LOTS in determining suggestions on how to help.

 

[Learningtoforge]

Working with an old wrench? There is no way to tell what metal you have, and if it will even harden at all. From the sound of it, the metal simply won't harden since you've heated to slightly over non-magnetic (correct?), and quenching in water didn't make it hard. I'd expect it's not high enough carbon to harden.

What part of the world are you in? This helps LOTS in determining suggestions on how to help.

I'm in Washington state- it was my grandpa's old Bonney wrench. I think at this point it's just going to be a bag opener lol

 

[000Robert]

I'm in Washington state- it was my grandpa's old Bonney wrench. I think at this point it's just going to be a bag opener lol

I don't know a lot about old wrench steel but maybe it was case hardened steel?

 

[Diego_B]

Time to buy some 1084 or 1075.

1084 Carbon Steel Bar - 1/8 in x 11.6" x 1.5" - 1 Billet (.140") | eBay

1084 carbon steel is great for knives. It's a simple alloy that is easy to heat treat. It is used in damascus for the dark layers.

www.ebay.com

This is 1084, you can get this stuff at almost any knife supply and even ebay! Alpha Knife supply sells it on ebay which is the link I have posted. For $20 including shipping you could make a awesome knife out of this stuff using your coffee can forge.

 

[weo]

I'm in Washington state-

Welcome. I'll suggest joining the NWBA (Northwest Blacksmith Association) and attending some of their monthly demos in Longview, if possible. Plenty of talented bladesmiths in the organization.

 

[polish avenger]

I'm in Washington state- it was my grandpa's old Bonney wrench. I think at this point it's just going to be a bag opener lol

Where in Washington are you? Plenty of us out there who might be able to provide assistance if you're close.
-Mark

 

[N.W. Gean]

Time to buy some 1084 or 1075.

1084 Carbon Steel Bar - 1/8 in x 11.6" x 1.5" - 1 Billet (.140") | eBay

1084 carbon steel is great for knives. It's a simple alloy that is easy to heat treat. It is used in damascus for the dark layers.

www.ebay.com

This is 1084, you can get this stuff at almost any knife supply and even ebay! Alpha Knife supply sells it on ebay which is the link I have posted. For $20 including shipping you could make a awesome knife out of this stuff using your coffee can forge.

+1. 8670 from Pop's Knife Supply is also pretty easy. The only thing I will say about eBay though is to only buy from Alpha Knife Supply on there. There has been trouble with non hardening steel from others on eBay in the past.