Heat treatment question

[Ramil839]

How much temperature hurts the heat treatment?I was wondering this when making kydex sheaths and now im curious if i can actually hurt the temper/heat treat by doing so,as well as what is the limit i can push it to.Thanks in advance guys.

 

[hardheart]

depends on the steel, around 400F on the low end

 

[Ramil839]

The ones i want kydex for are 5160,D2,1095.Would it change color at around 400F?

 

[R. Scheppmann Knives]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but 400 degrees on most clean steel will give you a golden color... What Kydex are you using that has to be pressed that high?

 

[Ramil839]

3mm thick,not sure the kind,the sheaths turned out ok but im thinking if i heat the pad and knife to some extent the kydex will stay heated longer and give a better shape overall,im a noob at sheath/knifemaking so someone correct me if im wrong,im trying to figure out the best way to make a good sheath.

 

[idaho]

The ones i want kydex for are 5160,D2,1095.Would it change color at around 400F?

1095 should not be heated so high. Over 350F and you are in the tempering zone... For 5160 it is even less.

 

[Ramil839]

I guess to stay on the safe side ill heat the pad/knife to a temp where i can still touch it(painful but not burning),i dont have any way to measure the temp in my garage since all my knife/sheath making equipment is makeshift at best.

 

[james terrio]

What are you using to heat the kydex, heat-gun, toaster oven? If you stay at or under 350F you should be fine as far as the steel is concerned. You may indeed get a little color on the steel as Mr. Scheppmann said, but it will come right off with fine sandpaper. Golden is fine. Purple or blue... not so much

 

[TriviaMonster]

James knows his stuff. Good advice.

 

[Ramil839]

Im using a heat gun,thanks for all the advice guys!

 

[ron_m80]

If you heat the kydex, it will not likely have enough thermal capacitance to destroy the HT on the steel. the temperature may be there, the magnitude of the heat is lacking by light years.

 

[knarfeng]

How much temperature hurts the heat treatment?I was wondering this when making kydex sheaths and now im curious if i can actually hurt the temper/heat treat by doing so,as well as what is the limit i can push it to.Thanks in advance guys.

It's time AT temperature that you want to worry about.
400F for a couple of minutes wouldn't affect the heat treat.
400F for an hour or so would.

I guess to stay on the safe side ill heat the pad/knife to a temp where i can still touch it(painful but not burning),i dont have any way to measure the temp in my garage since all my knife/sheath making equipment is makeshift at best.

If you can touch it, I'd guess its under 140F. (Rule of thumb from the chem lab.)