Heat treating guards

[tryppyr]

I'm working on a special guard for the KITH knife and it occurred to me to wonder whether I ought to attempt to heat treat it once it is in it's final form. The primary reason for wanting to do so is to prevent it from getting scarred in the future. The guard is made of 1095 (.25" inch thick), so it's pretty tough stuff to begin with... but it could be tougher. It would mean addition work cleaning it up afterwards, but that doesn't bother me.

Anyone else do this? Is it pointless?

 

[wolffbite]

I am also curious about this... and if I can add to the question... if you guys make any sort of jewellery (rings, pendants, belt buckles etc...) do you need to heat-treat them? I'm thinking not just carbon and stainless but damascus as well...

 

[xmtgx]

I see no reason not to besides the work cleaning it back up. It would make it much more scratch resistant. you could also add some type of hamon effect to it

 

[Deweyknives]

Helps with corosion [rust] resistance as well....

 

[james terrio]

I agree with xmtgx and Randy, hardening will improve both corrosion- and scratch-resistance. If it's a guard for a fighter that might see significant impact, perhaps you would want to temper it back more than a blade?

 

[mete]

1095 could be normalized by heating 75 F above critical and air cool.This would give you a pearlite structure which would be wear resistant and tough.

 

[james terrio]

1095 could be normalized by heating 75 F above critical and air cool.This would give you a pearlite structure which would be wear resistant and tough.

I did not even consider pearlite as opposed to martensite, thank you. Would that general principle also apply to "plain" carbon steels other than 1095, for non-edge-holding purposes?