HT on folder blades...how to hold during quench

David Schott

David Schott

Joined
Sep 27, 2004
Messages
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Quick question...i must be missing something obvious here....

I recently had to re-HT my first folder bladebecasue i did not get the tang area hard enough. I ended up using a coathanger through the pivot hole, and it worked fine, but was sketchy.....

I was wondering how you guys pick up folder blades for a full quench. I was worried that when using 1095 or such, I know I only have anout a second to get that blade down in temp. I was worried that when I take my vicegrips or tongs or whatever, they will be somewhat cold, and would cool whatever area I grabbed too much and cause it not to harden correctly. Is this a valid concern? I am used to full tang fixed blades where i have lots of space to grab the blade with, whereas a folder im basically grabbing the blade at the tang, where I want the blade to be fully hardened....

Any tips?
 
You are correct and also the tang can bent or damaged when the steel is that tender. I always use a thin stainless steel wire and go through the stud hole or pivot.
 
Do you then just dip it straight down, tip first? I have always quenched edge first but couldn/t figure out how to do that using a coat hanger or wire setup.
 
Why don't you just get a small pair of visegrips weld a handle on it and just leave it on the blade went it is in the forge????:D
 
You can get skinny jawed vise grips[ 1/8" wide] .The ones I have are short so perhaps you could make handle extensions.
 
Ever hear of tongs or needle nose pliers? :rolleyes:

The other thing that you can do is when your blade is almost ready to come out of your oven or forge, you pre-heat the tips of your tongs or pilers with a propane torch. That they don't wick away all the heat from your blade in the spot that you grab it.
 
Heh ive heard of tongs and needle nose pliers....just didnt think the introduction of a cold piece of steel onto a crucial area of the blade that was at 1500 degrees would be a good thing. Ive heard that even a strong breeze can wreck a 1095 HT because of the tiny window of time needed to quench right, so i figured I would ask.

I will try the wire, also possibly finding some long tongs that I can simply let sit and get up to temp along with the blade....

But that asks the next question, which is: how will the steel directly under the tongs get hardened if the tongs are what it getting hit by the oil?

Am I over-analyzing this?
 
I think that you are over analyzing this. The tongs will never grab the blade so tightly that they will make a seal around your blade not letting oil in. Try it before the quench and see if that area gets wet with oil? The oil will also be warm and more viscus and flow into all areas.

As long as you take your blade from critical hardening temperature to your quench in about 2 seconds you will have no problems hardening. I wait till the blade is able to be handled, check for straightness and do a file test. If the file skates right off the blade is hard. At this point the blade is harder than the file. Check your tang area and cuttig edge. If the blade is hard the file will skate off and not damage any part of your blade.

You can also grab your blade in the middle of the spine with your tongs, this will allow any critical part to harden. The tang, the blade stop, the cutting edge ect. If there is one spot in the middle of the spine that is not as hard as the rest who cares? It will not effect any of the working parts of the blade.
 
cool beans. Good idea on grabbing at the spine. I think i just need longer tongs and i'll give it a try.
 
The tongs can remove heat from the tang area causing a soft spot. I also use a wire allowing me to quench without touching the blade with a cold set of tongs. Dont try the spine grab or any other type of tong grab on a damascus blade if you want even etching after you finish the blade. The damascus must all have the same heat treat or your etch will look crappy.
 
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