Interesting pattern after quench....

[silver_pilate]

I made this a while back, and it came out of the quench with an interesting pattern on it.

This blade is O-1 and was hand sanded to 400 before HT. It was heated to 1475* and held for 12 minutes, then full quenched edge first tip slightly down in new canola oil heated to 130*. The scale came off cleanly leaving this pattern on both sides. A few light passes on a grinder (after tempering) and hand sanding and the discoloration was gone. When finished, the blade was clean, uniform, and hard. I've had this type of pattern on several knives that I've hand sanded prior to HT. They have all finished up just fine and all were hard post heat treat.

Any ideas as to why the interesting pattern?

Thanks!

--nathan

 

[82Stang]

Dunno but that would look sweet if you left it like that and slapped some handles on it!

 

[Colin KC]

Watch out that the patent police don't see this


Nice little knife

 

[Redrummd]

Wow. I like it the way it looks. Have you tried a solvent to see if it can be removed or is it into the metal?

 

[Colin KC]

Wow. I like it the way it looks. Have you tried a solvent to see if it can be removed or is it into the metal?

It's alloy banding & can be reproduced quite easily

Do a search for asshat & you'll see

 

[silver_pilate]

I wondered if it was something like alloy banding. I just found it interesting that it has been reproduced several times on different knives in a row without effort on my part. The next time it happens, I might try a little etch and see what comes out.

Redrummd, it removes well with sandpaper, but I haven't tried an etch to see if it is just strange surface discoloration or if it an internal property of the steel.

--nathan

 

[Colin KC]

Nathan, it'll come off with abrasive & will re appear after etching, it's inna steel