Kind of a HT question

T

thegeek574

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Sep 3, 2010
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Everyone,
I just finished up a little wharnie that I am planning on making into my EDC around the house, and I noticed when I was cleaning it up that it still skated a file unless pressure was applied :eek:. It is 1084 and I heat treated it in a little freon tank forge, and it was quenched in canola oil that was about the right temp. I tempered it for 90 minutes, then it sat over night, then it was tempered for another 90 minutes before it was finished up for an hour, all at 350 degrees. I would rather that this didn't break the first time I used it. any suggestions? I may be paranoid, but i think it is out to get me ;)
 
Isn't the file suppose to skate across the steel after ht? I don't think you should be worried about it breaking, especially if it is just for simple tasks in the house.
 
350° is just barely a usable temper. Temper again at 400°/425°.
 
File skating is before the temper. LRB is correct, try 400. if the edge chips after a 400 temper, do it again at 425.
 
I had been quenching 1084 in peanut oil and got it fairly hard. 400 degree was just about right. But now I am using Parks 50 for my blades and 400 degrees isn't anywhere near hot enough. I am now tempering at 425 to 450 and am getting the results I want.

I made a few sacrifical blades to break and see how they do. At 400, every blade snapped right in half with NO bend at all. Now with my hotter temper, the blade bends quite a bit before breaking. And the grain looks much more refined also.

If you will be quenching your own blades and plan to do this for a while, spend the money to get proper quenching oil from Maxam since it is now available to us little guys. It DOES make a huge difference!
Jason
 
OK, I guess i'm going crazy. I could have sworn i had seen it done at 350, but I have a horrible memory. thanks all. I will put it in the oven again.
 
I say 375-400 for 2 hrs is sufficient for 1084.. 2 cycles...

I've played with this before and got good results at 400-425 for two cycles of 1hr each.. go figure........
 
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