I'm sending my A2 to Mr. Bos

Kevin Wilkins

Kevin Wilkins

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Oct 7, 1998
Messages
1,489
Yep, I'm giving up on having A2 steel heat treated in Europe. I can't find anybody who can do it without warping the blades.

So I'm turning to a tried and true Americam Craftsman and will be sending all A2 blades to Paul Bos in El Cajon, CA.

I also think it's a damn shame that nobody over here seems to be able to deliver reliable results. And I'm REALLY sick and tired of warped blades. SICK AND TIRED of warped blades. Do I need to say that again?

My original heat treaters here in Berlin had no success with A2. They are now out of business.

The firm who do most of my blades now do a great job with D2 and M2 but about 70% of the time the A2 blades are warped. Them ain't numbers I can live with.

I also tried the super porfessionals in Solingen - they talked a great line about tradition and other BS. But after 7 weeks and 3 tries they finally managed to do 5 blades and were at least decent enough not to charge me considering how many times I had to send the blades back. But I - ah - don't think I want to go that route again.

So I picked up the bat phone and called California. What other choice did I have? :-) And now I'm looking forward to some good ol' US-Quality for a change!

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Totally new website!
http://www.wilkins-knives.com
 
It seems like everyone agrees that Paul Bos is the man when it comes to heat treating. But does he have a web site? I mean it would be nice to see some info about where and who your sending stuff to. Just my 2 cents..
 
Tomorrow I am shipping off 26 CPM-3V blades to Paul. That will be a total of 68 blades in the last month, including 3 swords. Ask me if my back aches. No more grinding for awhile. Between now and the Blade Show all I do is put them together - the fun part.

Paul is the best. My blades all warp, yet they come back from Paul straight as an arrow. Sometimes they come back with a little lecture on what I might do to keep them from warping, but the lesson is gentle and helpful. Nice guy.

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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
Agreed, you'll not have problems with Mr. Bos heat treat, I've only made a few blades and they went to him for the process. A few ATS-34 and the last one was a large chiseledge Tanto, 11 1/2" blade that worked great!

Enjoy, he is a nice person to deal with.
G2

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"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions!"
Take the time to read your Bible Now, don't be left behind...


G2 LeatherWorks
 
Tom's right. Paul Bos doesn't have a website and if he did, I doubt there's be too much to show.

Heat treating is more or less invisable but is the single most important step in making a knife. If the steel isn't correctly heat treated, the knife will suck.

Of course if the the knife is warped, then it really sucks.

From everything I can read and find out about heat treating, air hardening tools steels were developed to help avoid warpage and if the person doing the heat treating knows their business, you won't have a problem.

It's finding that person who knows what the hell they're doing that can be the problem. I've tried 3 firms over here and they all delivered crap - at least when it comes to A2. So considering that I've never read or heard a single bad word about Mr. Bos work leads me to think he must know his stuff. What I have heard about his work is all really positive.

I'm looking forward to sending the first shipment out to California next week. I wish I could take it over myself - after a dark winter in Germany, I could use some California sunshine. Plus according the German television, everybody in California is a movie star, drives a convertible and has money. :-) Or maybe I'd just end up standing beside the freeway on ramp with a cadboard sign that says "Will work for knives."

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Totally new website!
http://www.wilkins-knives.com
 
Kevin, Paul tells me that none of the blades coming out of Bob Loveless' shop ever warp. He also is quick to remind me that all mine do. The reason is uneven grinds and, even worse, uneven grinding. If you grind too much on one side of the blade before balancing it with grinds on the other, you create internal stresses in the steel which is what causes warps. I'm trying harder, but they still warp. It's in part due to the extreme tapers on my tangs and the very very deep hollow grinds.

Why I never get a warped blade back from Paul is because after they warp, he straightens them. I used to do my own heat treating, and you'd be amazed at how easily the steel just out of the hardening oven is bent straight again. If it is still just warm to the touch, it is very maleable. They will also warp again after cryogenic quenching as still more internal stresses are relieved. Paul straightens those as well.

Then he picks up the phone and calls me. "Jerry, about your blades... Nevermind, straightening warps is my job. Have you ever thought about...?" He then goes on to talk about some of the things I do that cause the warps. That is a direct quote, BTW. I then grovel and beg him not to stop doing my knives. "I'll try harder Paul, honest I will!" Another direct quote.
smile.gif


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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
Well, Paul is just finishing up a batch of my knives and I just got my friendly phonecall. Apparently, I'm getting better but still have a ways to go in getting my grinding done without stressing the steel.

He is one terrific guy.

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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
Hi Jerry,

thanks for the advice. I've also read and been told about grinding evenly to avoid stress buildup and I always go down one side and the alternate.

Having too extreme of a grind is also a cause of waving or warpage and I generally leave these blades fairly thick on the cutting edge - usually about a 1/16 " on a blade made from 4mm stock. I've been told carefully prewarming the steel will take care of a lot of built up stress.

I think the main problem I've been having is just plain old sloppy work. Either that or trying to do blades at the same time you do giant tool partsd so that the blades get over cooked..

Or maybe I just like to ruin the knives myself. I sure don't need to pay somebody to screw 'em up. :-) That part I can handle "in house."

I'll be grinding on sunday and sending the package out on tuesday with the Post. I'm sure working with Mr. Bos will will also be a positive experience for me too.

BTW: does anybody know Mr. Bos' email? I forgot to ask him on the phone...
 
does anyone have mr.bos' address and #, i too have some A2 in need of some heattreatment, and he sounds like the man i need to do business with!!
 
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