Heat Treating D2

Whit

Whit

Joined
Dec 27, 2001
Messages
729
I have typically used 1084 or O1 to this point, and heat treated it myself with no problems. I just lucked into a whole bunch of D2 for a price I couldn't pass up. I read up on the heat treating instructions, do any of you heat treat D2 yourselves? I have used it before and sent it away for heat treating with great results. Just wondering if I can do it myself in a forge. Any ideas? Thanks
 
You can't heat treat D2 in a forge due to the long soak times.use a heat treat oven or farm it out to a pro..
 
You have to wrap it in stainless heattreat foil otherwise it will "burn" and the carbon will burn out. Wrap it in an airtight pouch and put a few cardbpard scraps in with it so it burns the air in the pouch. Preheat at 1400/1500 hold for 30 min. Then slowly raise to 1850 until unifrmy heated for 45-60 min. Temper at 400 for two 1hr cycles. This info was provided in the knife and gun finishing catalog. I find it easiest to send it out, just make a few blades and send them out, then while they are out make a fe more so you constantly have some coming back and going out.
Chuck
 
If you don't have experience handling higher alloy tool steels (and don't want to get experience the hard way!), I would strongly recommend sending D2 out to a heat treater. Tool steels not only have to reach a high temperature, but they also must not exceed that temperature, and they must be held a fairly defined time once they do reach a constant temperature. Unless you are interested in experimenting, somehow evaluating your results, and you have some D2 to burn (maybe literally!), I would suggest you support your local heat treater with D2 or other tool steels.
 
OK, I'm not very smart, but I'm smart enough to listen to good advice in this case. The professional heat-treater it is! Thanks for the advice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top