HR5160 temper lines?

Ivan Campos said:
Nice temper line you got there.
Can you tell us what wood have you used for the handle?
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Ivan,
The wood is crosscut or end-grain zebrawood. No stain, just Minwax wood hardener, hand runned to 1500 grit.

Craig
 
C L Wilkins said:
Here is a picture of a knife I made from 5160 with a temperline back in February. I used a torch to heat treat the edge, quenched in 140 degF oil, then tempered. Hand rubbed to 600 grit then brought the temperline out with Ferric Chloride, etched for 10-12 seconds. Used 3 parts distilled water, 1 part FeCl. Also used fingernail polish as a resist on the shoulders and part way down the tang. Rubbed the blade out with Semichrome or Never-dull, don't remember.

I have to give Terry Primos the credit on how to do it. He's the one that told me how.


picture.JPG
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That looks great. One question though. When quenching, how much time do I have to get the torch outta my hands and quench the blade (ideally). I've heard with some steels you have less than a second. The blade I have ready has a 12" cutting edge. Is it possible to do a blade that long without the edge cooling too much in the areas the torch is no longer heating (as I move the torch around to get the whole blade) ? Also, does the quench oil need to be heated or can I just quench in veg oil as is. I am glad to see that hamon on some 5160 though as I have an abundance of flatbar. I get a great deal so if I can learn to master this grade I'll be laughing. Only thing is most of it is about 5/8" thick and some is bent slightly. Not the best for a stock removal guy but for a guy who might want to forge it would probably be great. Ok I' babbling now. talk to ya later and thanks.


Mike Coughlin :D
 
I've never done a large blade with a torch so I am not really qualified to answer that question. The longest blade I believe I have ever done using a torch is probably about 5 1/2 inches. Someone else will have to answer that AND I have never used a clay coating.

From my experience, the answer is yes, getting the quenchant temperature up is a requirement. I have heated up a piece of steel and placed it in the quenchant to get it up to temp. A standard cooking or candy thermometer works to check your temp. For small blades, I have an old stock pot and I place it on top of an electric hot plate. I will stir the oil as it heats up. Pretty simple and down and dirty. For large blades, I have a piece of 4 inch diameter pipe welded to a RR plate. I heat the outside of the pipe with my torch to heat it up. I try to keep it stirred to have as much of a uniform heat in the entire quenchant. (The circulating pump idea is going to be in the works before long!)

Craig
 
Sweany, great stuff! Love all the equipment, and the H2O quenched knife. I've just got to try that one of these days. Like the metal punch also. I'm looking for something like a Whitney, to cut slots in my handle material, about 1/8th" x 1/2" or so. Is this shop all yours? Do you need someone to sweep the floors?
 
nope sorry to say the equipment isn't mine . A lot of posts froma lot of different smiths on the forgemagic forum.
The water quench is the the way to get a good hamon.

I got the tip too thin on this knife and "tinked" the tip off. Which was OKAY cause I got to see the grain.
The grain on the first side I quenched was actually a bit finer than the other side. After tempering I can drop the knife point first into concrete, no damage and chop chunks off a brass bar and pull a little curl off a mild steel bar.
I'm gonna torture this little knife to death. BUWAHAHAHAHAHA :eek:
I wanna see the difference between the water quench and oil quench blades.
Did I mention I don't get a hamon like this with oil ?
 
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