HT for very thick damascus

Atlas Knife Company

Atlas Knife Company

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Feb 16, 2010
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I need to HT some 32 layer count 1080/15n20 1/2" thick x 5" long. Any suggestions? I was going to soak above non-magnetic for 10 minutes because of the thickness, but I'm not sure how to quench something so thick. The last time I tried it took 45 seconds before the oil stopped boiling around the metal.
 
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I obviously don't know the answer... but I do have a question... what do you make that is half an inch thick that needs to be hardened?
 
I once made a hammer that was an inch and a half thick, maybe hes making a hatchet, I did one of those out of half inch stock.
Oh to answer your question, leave it the oil for 10 seconds after it quits boiling.
Del
 
I am about to heat treat some 4140 in the next few weeks that is 2" X 5" X 18" for a anvil that I am building. I am planing on mixing up a batch of super quench to try on it. It would most likely crack your damascus though.
 
It might be a good idea to take it to 1200 F first and soak for 10 minutes then go up to hardening temperature and soak before quench. Make sure you have lots of oil and agitate !!
 
Use Parks 50 if you've got it. If you don't, whatever you generally substitute will also work. The trick with large pieces is the volume of quenchant you're working with. For something of that size I'd say you want 3 gallons or so of your quenching medium of choice. Also, don't forget to agitate as you quench. Go into the quench and keep the piece moving. You want to make sure you're not just quenching with one small volume of very hot oil or your results will be not as good.

Also, here is where steel selection can help you. Generally in knife profiles you don't have much to worry about as far as thick geometries go so this gets overlooked sometimes. Steels alloyed with some Mn will have an easier time of hardening all he way through in thicker sections (think Aldo's 1084....).


-d
 
Golf club? :D

I bet an inexpensive aquarium pump placed in the bottom of your oil container so the oil recirculates wouldn't hurt.
 
Another damascus putter, yes. I'm also working on a small hatchet and a key for my office from the same billet. Not proficient at forging enough yet to start work on the sand wedge. Deker did such a great job with the pattern welded billets that I have to build a second one. This one is mallet shaped and I'm going to have this one professionally handled with an offset shaft. I'm not as concerned about the hardness as much as getting the pattern to be able to etch properly. The pattern on the first was visible, but not as distinct as some pieces I've done with the scraps since. I can only attribute this to an incomplete quench with the first putter last year.

As far as knife parts with that thickness, as mentioned there are hammers and hatchets, but also I've seen solid damascus handles and guards that are as thick.

Thanks for the responses. I'll agitate it much more this time and let it soak longer below 1200 before bringing up to temp.
 
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