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Heat treating
- Thread starter MikeyGrnt
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2004
- Messages
- 1,363
I guess it is a typo, you mean O1? http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=589527
If that is the case you need to decide based on the blade type... If you wish best wear resistance you temper it around 400 F to ~62 HRC. If you wish it tough then you temper 500 F or 550 F to 57-58 HRC. It is solely up to you. If your blade is small and it is designed just for the cutting, slicing like some kitchen knives (not all of them) you may choose the highest usable hardness around 62-63 HRc, for large blades designed for chopping or long blades like swords you will find the high hardness is too brittle for the job, so you temper the blade lower to hardness. For an axe or sword you may temper it around 600 -650F to make it virtually unbreakable 55 -57 HRc. Or you may go in between for a assault knife (thick enough to resist impacts, but you wish it stay sharp long time) around 450 F to ~60 HRc.
There is no specific rule, it is decided on the functionality and blade types and user preferences. Any knife at low hardness would perform just fine for every job but it requires more edge maintenance, but if you make too hard for the job a broke blade or chipped edge is nearly impossible to maintain
...
All said but an important one; in order to get a good result the blade first has to be fully hardened, in a proper HT oil (as your dad is Heat treating he has a fast quench oil I guess
). For a good HT info on O1 here is the "definitive" HT specs from Mr. Kevin : http://www.cashenblades.com/Info/Steel/O1.html
Good luck with your first ....
Emre
If that is the case you need to decide based on the blade type... If you wish best wear resistance you temper it around 400 F to ~62 HRC. If you wish it tough then you temper 500 F or 550 F to 57-58 HRC. It is solely up to you. If your blade is small and it is designed just for the cutting, slicing like some kitchen knives (not all of them) you may choose the highest usable hardness around 62-63 HRc, for large blades designed for chopping or long blades like swords you will find the high hardness is too brittle for the job, so you temper the blade lower to hardness. For an axe or sword you may temper it around 600 -650F to make it virtually unbreakable 55 -57 HRc. Or you may go in between for a assault knife (thick enough to resist impacts, but you wish it stay sharp long time) around 450 F to ~60 HRc.
There is no specific rule, it is decided on the functionality and blade types and user preferences. Any knife at low hardness would perform just fine for every job but it requires more edge maintenance, but if you make too hard for the job a broke blade or chipped edge is nearly impossible to maintain
...All said but an important one; in order to get a good result the blade first has to be fully hardened, in a proper HT oil (as your dad is Heat treating he has a fast quench oil I guess
). For a good HT info on O1 here is the "definitive" HT specs from Mr. Kevin : http://www.cashenblades.com/Info/Steel/O1.htmlGood luck with your first ....
Emre
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 23, 2006
- Messages
- 2,418
There are several A series steels so he may have one other than A-2. Not sure where you'd need to be for toughness, but A2 seems to be best at around 60RC