Recommendation? Heat Treat

[Way-Barney]

Morning all,

I need a few tips on heat treating small pen knife blades, springs and test samples etc.

I am ok with the process, but am concerned about removing things from the oven with tongs etc. and the associated rapid heat loss reducing the quench temperatures.

Any advices?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Small parts can be put on a stainless wire loop or hook and taken out and quenched that way. Almost everything knife related has a hole somewhere you can run the wire through.
I keep a roll of 12-gauge and 16-gauge stainless wire around for all sorts of things like hanging a blade in the FC tank and quenching small blades. It is also a good way to hang air hardening blades to cool. It is also how to hang blades in salt pots and in a vertical HT oven.