Heat Treating A-2

[Possum]

Howdy There....!
Just recently purchased a filing jig to file my hidden tang blades. The problem I am having is that the plate used as the guide for file isn't hard enough. My question is how do I harden this plate, I was told by the maker that it is A-2. checked it on rockwell machine and it read around thirty, can I get it high and how? Thanks for any help...!

Later "Possum"

 

[Mike Hull]

A2 is a lot like most of the high alloy stainless steels. It hardens at a much higher temp than say O1. With O1, you can take it to non magnetic, about 1450 degrees F, and quench it in the medium of your choice. A2 should be wrapped in heat treating foil, preheated in an oven at 1200 degrees F., then taken to 1750-1800 degrees F., and held for 1 hour per inch of thickness, air cool, and it should yield rockwell 64. That would be harder than your files.
If this is too much, you might find a maker that sends their blades to Paul Bos, or someone else that is familiar with this type of steel, and see if they can't include your pieces along with their blades, for a price. Just a thought.