Is non-oxy MAPP hot enough to HT 1095?

F

F. Allin Kahrl

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Aug 20, 2004
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I'm working on a blade I'd like to edge-harden and I'm wondering what I need to heat it up. I already have one Bernz-O-Matic MAPP torch, and I was thinking about just getting a second and setting them up with their flames crossed so that they'd heat both sides of the blade at once.

You guys think this would work, or should I just spring for a full Oxy-MAPP rig?

-Allin
 
you could probly make a bean-o-matic forge with that for the heat treat. its basically a clay lined bean can with the flame comming in through the bottom or side. i can find the link or else id send it too you. im sure someone here has it.
 
How big is the blade? It's possible to heat treat smaller blades with propane torches. The max I've been able to do is 4" in 5160. You might be able to do a little bigger in w1...

Matt
 
You could do it in a jam, or a budget. I would go with the oxy- MAPP, just because it is far more versital, and will allow to work with bigger blades. If you can heat treat it well with the Oxy- MAPP torch, it should eventually pay for itself in savings for sending the bigger things off for HT, plus all the other things you can do with it.
 
Propane is plenty if you have a way of containing the heat (fire brick, kaowool etc. ) On a real small blade you don't even need insulation, just a propane torch. MAPP gas will work better in open air than propane since its hotter, but causes scaling.
I wouldn't mess with the Oxygen kits on a Bernz omatic type torch, they only run for about 15 minutes and are expensive. You really don't want that hot of a flame so much as you want to heat evenly anyhow. O1 austenizes at around 1450 deg F if I remember right (I go by color, can't remember all the technical stuff anymore) I doubt if 1095 needs to go much hotter if any. Propane burns at around 2000 degs F, so its plenty if you have enough of a flame to heat the blade evenly.
 
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