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Heat treat services

A

abraves

Gold Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2023
Messages
1,225
I am getting my feet wet in the knife making hobby and wanted to know if anyone has experience with Paul Bos heat treat service? I profiled 6 blades yesterday at a friends shop who has been teaching me the art. I have bought a KMG grinder which is still in pieces in my garage due to being swamped with wedding plans for both our girls this year. One in 3 weeks the other in Oct. Then there is the fact that I work out of town and am not home every weekend and when I am I got stuff to do. Anyway I happen to be working about 30 min from a friend who taught me and lets me use his shop. For the foreseeable future I will profile blades and have them heat treated somewhere. Paul Bos charges $115 for 5-19 blades. I’m starting with 6 but I think next time I will do 19 to get the most out of it. Here are the 6 I got.
IMG_1188.jpeg
 
I’ve used Paul Bos HT for quite a few blades, both stainless , AEB-L/14C28N and mid/high carbon steel, 80CVrN. Their work has always been done promptly, returned straight and true and at a reasonable price.
Another option would be Peters HT.
 
abraves said:
Thanks. That’s all I know is simple. Plus that is the blade shape I like. I’m sure I may venture a little but we shall see.
Click to expand...
If you took the second shape from the top and made the finger groove of the handle like the third one, it would be just right.
Deep finger grooves do not work as well as a sweeping finger curve and a slight palm swell. A sudden transition from the recess makes a bump that is a hot spot in use and limits the grips that can be used.
Just grind the groove back on #2 into a slight sweep and you are done. Trust me, it will become your favorite knife!
 
I've used all of the well known heat treating services over the past 10 years and Paul Bos is the best one overall in my experience. Highly recommended!
 
Just sent 43 blades to Paul Bos yesterday for heat treating! I used him way way back when he was still in CA in the early 2000's when I started making knives. I can do simple carbons (80CRV2, 52100, 8670, 1084, etc) in my kiln at home, but it maxes at 1700. Stainless and tool/highly alloyed stuff goes to Bos.
 
Does anyone know a good way to contact them... I tried email a couple of times recently and never heard back.
 
I have used them for years... I will say that the last time, while they did do the work pretty quick it took them 2 months to finally charge my card and that was only after about 15 phone calls lol
 
They have changed their procedures over the past few years. I used to send a typed list of steels and hardnesses I wanted and my phone # and they would call when they were done to get the CC info over the phone. Then they had a new paper to fill out to include. The last batch I did last summer, I filled out the paperwork and sent it in. I get a call for the CC info a couple Fridays later and I got the package the next week! So it was around 3 weeks turn around from when I shipped them out to them (which took 4 or 5 days), do the HT and then ship back. I just sent a box out Monday of 43 blanks for them to do!
 
Those all look to be 1/8" or so. If it was my, id grind the bevels down to about .030 before HT
 
does anyone have experience with Bos HT for alloys such as S90V? I have exclusively used Peters' over the years, but all the positive reviews of Bos makes me curious. I may try them in the future.
 
Ive used Bos for AEB-L, CPM-154, A2, 14C28N and 80CrV2 all without issue. Ive also used Peters. Here are the differences I noted:
Price- Bos slightly more affordable.
Turn around time - Similar, job dependent
Quality of Work- Similar. Peters torch straightens blade, if not specifically told not to, Bos, I’m not certain. Blades are straightened but torch marks not noted. Only sign is a “Q” sharpied on blade.
Documentation- Peters tests hardness on random number of blades, paperwork reflects tested hardness, process performed etc
Bos invoice with cost and that’s pretty much it.
 
J Lensmire said:
Ive used Bos for AEB-L, CPM-154, A2, 14C28N and 80CrV2 all without issue. Ive also used Peters. Here are the differences I noted:
Price- Bos slightly more affordable.
Turn around time - Similar, job dependent
Quality of Work- Similar. Peters torch straightens blade, if not specifically told not to, Bos, I’m not certain. Blades are straightened but torch marks not noted. Only sign is a “Q” sharpied on blade.
Documentation- Peters tests hardness on random number of blades, paperwork reflects tested hardness, process performed etc
Bos invoice with cost and that’s pretty much it.
Click to expand...

IDK about Peter's but Bos tests every blade multiple spots.
No documentation though.
I have had secondary tests (once) confirmed that Bos numbers were accurate to my request.


Also... Jarrod is back up to taking requests. as per email I received from them a couple weeks ago.
 
Yes, I think all of my S90V has gone through Bos? Performs very well at 61!

The Q on a blade is the high point for a warp before they straighten it.

I have a HRC tester and often use the Bos blades or some from Jarod Todd to check its accuracy and they are typically right on what I request.
 
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