Just a little advice on learning to HT on my own.

M

mc556

Joined
Dec 6, 2008
Messages
354
I am at one of those cross roads and I am 90% sure what way I am going I'd love to hear what other more experanced my have to say.


So here goes.
I have a nice new Wilmont Grinder which I have ran non stop grinding everything in my path.
I have a nice large drill press access to a Bridgeport etc etc
What I don't have is a clear cut path to heat treating .
I am aware of Peters, Bos etc but I have that total control bug in me and I don't like being at the mercy of others so I am sorta bucking the easier path.

I have pretty much decided after study that I'd like a Evenheat kf27 240v with Rampmaster but would like Input on that choice.
Being new it might be easier to send out but I'm not afraid to fail and don't mind the leading curve.
However I do plan to sell my work at some point and will not send out something that isn't 100%


As of right now I am staying basic and using 1084 but as I gain experience I would like to work with several others possibly including CPM-M4-3v and s30v
I do have access to dry ice and liquid nitrogen and am willing to spend money on them as part of the process. Also for what it's worth I do have a good grasp of the process I'm not starting with zero knowledge. Also I do have a few resources ( 4 full time machinists that are close friends) although 3 of them mostly work with Inconel only (Turbines)

Fire away and feel free to ask anything you may think is pertinent.
I know I am rambling but I'd like to feel comfortable before I drop another chuck of cash..
 
Have you thought about using molten salt? Comes with certain dangers to be sure but with benefits worth considering too.

-Sandow
 
Great oven, the 240 is really nice will cut warm up time, the 27" depth is nice if you want to do kitchen or bowies. Should work really well and suited for stainless, work perfect for 1084 and other simple carbon.
width is a little narrow, I like to set several in at one time but this is an oven you can work with nicely

I suggest you send out a couple of blades as dupicate, then you have something to compare your HT to the pros. You can keep these in the shop as a comparison tool, see if you can out cut the Pro
 
Sounds to me like you already have your mind made up.Heat-treating can be a challenge ,But with the right equipment and attitude/Your already there.
Eddie
 
That's a really nice oven. Gives you room to do just about anything as your experience grows.
I used to work in a shop that did tons of inconel, and that stuff is rough to machine. If they do that all day long they can help you with anything you could need.
Good luck man.
 
I have a 22.5" with the set pro, and im very happy with it. So far I haven't even close to use the whole length, but maybe you like LONG knives. You will not be sorry for getting it, but the length would be longer then I would use(unless I want to make a sword, but then that wouldnt be long enough!)
 
Thanks guys I feel encouraged I am going to go for it.
I really have to thank everyone in the knife makers forum the info on this site is amazing. It's nice to know there are so many credible sources that are willing to give advice. I honestly hope one day I will be able to offer back.

I do like the idea of sending out a couple duplicate knives as a control sample seems to be a smart idea.
And yes I like to have some length on the oven as one of my favorite blades are Golocks such as the Martindale style.

Can you all recommend what else I should be purchaseing like tongs gloves stainless foil etc
No need for test files I can use the Rockwell tester at my buddies machine shop ( having a buddy who owns a machine shop has its perks)
 
You mentioned one of the important tools- the hardness tester- files seem to give a range, but a tester will give you a better idea of where you are at. be sure to test the tester prior to the steel- use a certified test block that is in the range you expect your material to be in (ie block may be cert for something like-60.8 HRC)
Follow the recipes - the steel manufacturers put out HT info, their engineers love to discuss this stuff too, there are extremely valuable resources at this forum as well. be aware that variances as little as 25 deg F can make differences in transformations depending on the steel. Control every phase as best as you can- From heat to quench, to cryo, to tempers. Read some reference info so you understand what is happening to the steel in each phase. You will not be unhappy doing this yourself and it gives you control of the whole creation process. If you are using air hardening steels look into plates for your quench. my.02
 
mc556 said:
I have pretty much decided after study that I'd like a Evenheat kf27 240v with Rampmaster but would like Input on that choice.
Click to expand...

I recently picked up that exact oven from Alpha Knife Supply, but I haven't started using it yet! Like you I've been doing lots of research. I can wholeheartedly recommend reading any and everything you can find written by John D. Verhoeven, Kevin Cashen, and Roman Landes. If you search Shop Talk for "heat treat recipe" there are 11 pages of very valuable information from many of the excellent knifemakers who selflessly share their knowledge and experience here.
 
One little surprise for me: I was wondering if my oven was drifting off temp and ended up buying a second thermocouple to test the first. Now I can't get to to red the same...
 
I plan to order tomorrow or Tuesday I was looking at Mackilns they have the free shipping but I only see the 22 which is plenty big need to think about price etc .... Can't learn without trying though so thanks for the advice off to the deep end I go.
 
Well after a bit of shopping a went a bit smaller with a Rampmaster 240v 22.5. After looking at my collection of knives reground machetes etc there was nothing over 19in and a majority will be much smaller .
The guy at Mackilns was really great now I just need to order some Quinch oil

I plan to start with some 1084 from Aldo. I bought 16ft in different sizes to test with.
I figure that will get me used to the programming the Rampmaster and material to experiment with.

Ultimately I'd like to be proficient in CPM-M4 and 5160 but baby steps
For now I'm going to see how much I can raise the power bill
 
I recently got that exact same oven with the Rampmaster, and it has been great! Easy to use, and very well built!

I also got a pail of Parks 50 from Maxim Oil. Great people to deal with and excellent service. I think I paid about $130 delivered to GA for it.
 
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