Heat Treat Question

S

Steinerj

Joined
Jul 6, 2005
Messages
406
I clay hardened some 0-1 and after the file skipped off it. Now after (2) 1 hr draws at around 400 deg. My files bite into it pretty easily. Normal?
 
What did you use for a heat source? Forge, oven, etc? How long did you soak it? What quenchant? I wonder if it ever got hard? Did a file skate before the temper cycle?
 
It was heated in IG's forge and quenched in heated oil under IG's supervision. It skated before the tempering cycles
 
Sounds good. the next step is to give it the brass rod test. To do this go ahead and finish the edge and sharpen it. Use an 1/8" brass rod and clamp it in the vise, press the edge against the rod and observe the flex in the fine edge. If it springs back its OK, if it chips off it is too hard, If it bends and stays bent it is too soft.

The ABS method is to finish out the blade and put a temporary handle on it and chop a couple 2 by 4s in half with no chips or rolled edge and still shave arm hair.

You need to remember that "Steel Sharpens Steel" so a file might very well cut into to a blade after heat treating correctly. A file is about 63 hardness and your blade is 56-59 hardness so you may be just fine.

Testing is the only way to gain experience and confidence in your knives.
 
The other place to look at is ,How hot did the edge get when finish grinding?
Stacy
 
you didn't happen to change the edge colors while grinding to final edge right? i think a file being able to bite into a tempered blade is normal no? I have seen blades that have been tempered 3 times and no file can bite into them or hacksaw cannot grab the steel.

and did you temper it in a kiln or a toaster oven or kitchen oven? Was 400 degrees actually 400 or higher? i think I have seen toaster ovens off by 100' degrees before going up!
 
Are you sure you've ground through all the decarb and taken a small amount off the edge as well? Are you trying the file on the cutting edge or spine? I am wondering if possibly you put too much clay on, pushed the hamon down past the cutting edge, and the only reason the files was scating was that you were skating off of forge scale...That would be weird since O1 hardens so easilly.

I would put an edge on and get to chopping some wood...that will reveal more than us theorizing.
 
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