How to heat treat this damascus?

[Danbo]

Got a piece of really cool damascus awhile back, from a man named Donnelly. I cut it up into 4 equal size pieces, and decided to make 4 small knives, instead of one big one. Mosaic stuff, with 1080, L6, 15N20 and a bit of nickel in it. How do I heat treat this stuff? Do I heat treat it as 1080, using the super fast Parks 50 quench oil and risk microcracking the slower quench speed L6? Or, do I heat treat it as L6, using the slower Parks AAA oil and possibly not fully harden the 1080?

Here's a pic of the little knives I'm making out of this damascus.

 

[Jeremy Horton]

Nice looking. Blades. I would say the 1080. But there are alot of dudes. That will chime in. That will know for sure.

 

[JC in SC]

Have you asked the seller his recommended heat treat procedure?

 

[SteelSlaver]

Do you have any small pieces of drop you could experiment with? Bevel some of the drop and harden it, both in the 50 and the AAA and see what happens. Do you have a hardness tester? Put a square corner in the piece that you use the 50 with and then check it for cracks. I would be inclined to use the Parks 50 myself.

But, then you could always get a hold of Donnelly and ask him for his advise.

 

[mdoyle]

I have a piece of his stuff, really nice stuff. When I asked him about HT all he told me was 1500 and temper @ 350. I can't remember what I quenched it in, but why not just try the AAA first?
Matt Doyle

 

[deker]

Danbo, I'd just call Larry and ask him what he recommends. He's a heck of a nice guy and I'm sure would give you all the info you need.

-d

 

[Danbo]

Ready for heat treat. So far, so good. :thumbup:

 

[H0tR0d]

wow Dan, those are gonna turn out super knice

 

[Russ Andrews]

Interesting patterns in the steel.

Please post up some pics when

they're ready.

Will you finish all as skeleton

handles..?

 

[Danbo]

Interesting patterns in the steel.

Please post up some pics when

they're ready.

Will you finish all as skeleton

handles..?

All will be skeletonized, except the Warncliffe with the larger hole in the middle of the handle. Gotta cover up that unevenly spaced hole, I'm afraid.