Heattreating and Forge questions

[oldschool45]

I picked up some 1095 from Jantz waiting on some 1084 from Aldo and I have done some stock removal.

I have a few questions
- Is there anybody within an hour and a half drive of Cincinnati willing to heat treat this 1095 for me after I get done shaping it? We can discuss barbecue (pork but or Brisket smoked for 10+ hours over apple wood and hickory plus a cheesecake), IT work, cash or I can clean up your shop.
- I’m starting to build a forge or 2 using an industrial helium cylinder7+” OD ID~6.75”( I’ve already removed the valve and it is inert and I have starting cutting) I figure depending on how well I insulate it I should have a chamber diameter about the size of a beer can. I’m going to cut the cylinder into 2 sections with chamber lengths 1 about 12” long and the other 24” long.
-Does it make send to add a thermocouple and a PID into to there for temperature control for hardening purposes?
-I’m thinking that the 12” chamber is too small to run forced air so I’ll run it at atmospheric pressure and then force air the 24” one and run both off of propane. Does this make sense?
Finally any leads on Refractory supplies in the Cincinnati area? I need Inswool, satanite and ITC100 and a firebrick or 4.
Thanks Ray

 

[calharkins]

Hello Ray,

I am working on a forge as well. I have it all fixed except the blower. I got a lot of my stuff from Ellis. He has most everything you need. He was quick to answer questions, the price was good and the shipping was fast. I am listing his address below.
http://home.comcast.net/~eellis2/EllisCustomKnifeworks/index.html

 

[oldschool45]

Cal
I’ve been on Ellis’s site and Larry Zoeller’s http://www.zoellerforge.com/index.html . I make a lot of business trips to Louisville where Larry is so I might see if I can do a pickup and save some shipping and more importantly talk shop. I reload and scuba dive neither of which are very dangerous but I wouldn’t want to start doing either of them without some hands-on advice or seeing the equipment in operation firsthand. I think I have read every post Kevin Cashen has made about 1095 and 1084 so I can probably avoid a major screw-up if I had an accurate way to read 1095’s temp approaching but not exceeding 1500’F. If I could do that I’d probably make a try using a Prestolite Torch and Mapp gas or an Oxy/Acetylene torch.
Thanks