Heat treat

A

AZsmith

Joined
Aug 26, 2013
Messages
28
Alright fellas, here's my problem. I had bought several different types of steel a long time ago and I now have two blades I have been diddling on and off with for quite a while inbetween working on other knives. I know for a fact the steel is 1084 or 1095. It is and isn't mystery steel seeing as how it's quality stuff from Aldo, but not sure which of the two types.

My thought is to heat treat it like it was 1095 since 1084 is the more forgiving of the two. I would just scrap it if it were only the two knives, except I have quite a bit more of it and would hate to waste it. What are your collective thoughts?

Thanks,
Juan L. DeLeon
 
They should spark test at least a little differently-especially full hard. Do a couple coupons, harden fully and see which has the more complex spark
 
If the end of the bar still has the paint they mark it with then 1084 has blue paint and 1095 has yellow. You said it came from NJ Steel baron correct?
 
I did. The problem is I was dumb enough to cut them into bars and never marked them. So over time they got mixed together when I moved them around in the shop. Both types are the same thickness and width. Definitely a lesson learned that's for sure.
 
A spark test may give you a clue, but it really won't matter much as far as HT goes. If the HT is done well, the knives will be nearly identical in use.
Use 1475F at the Austenitization temp and quench in fast oil or canola. Temper twice at 400-425F.

One solution for the rest of the bars would be to make up a stack of the bars and weld up a billet ( 5-7 bars would be good). Fold it seven or eight times and get a billet of what will look very much like tamahagane. You can call it techno-tamahagane. Ten folds would create a very fine hada.
 
I was definitely hoping that was the route you were gonna suggest Stacy!! The layered billet sounds like a good idea to me too :thumbup:
Thank you all for the advice, I can honestly say I'm never dissappointed with this forum!

Juan
 
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