L6 heat treat info please

[John Frankl]

Hi All,

I got some L6 from Crucible. It was 50 cents a pound for 7/8" round so I couldn't pass it up (Shipping cost more than the steel!)

Anyway, I am just wondering what quench media and especially what tempering temps people use for hunters and for bowies.

Thanks,

John


__________________

 

[Greg Covington]

I would start by quenching in 120F oil, like ATF, and then tempering starting a 300F and test the edge. You might have to go up to 350-375F to get the performance you want. I was surprised with L6 once when I made a test blade and the edge folded a bit. I backed down to 325F and it was fine.

 

[Ed Fowler]

It has been a long time since I worked with L6. The test blades I worked with responded very well to multiple quench, I used texaco type A (as always) heated to 135 f. A 350 degree temper was plenty. The blades cut very well and were extremely tough. Then 52100 came along that I haven't been back, do plan on some experiments some day. One interesting sidelight, I had flexed a blade to 90 degrees, it came a long way to returning to straight. Placed in in a feric chloride and after a few minutes could hear some 'tink' 'tink' --- pulled the blade out of the etchant solution and it had cracked, evidently from the etch working on the steel in a state of stress. Do not interpert this as being a deffect in the steel, this was a long time ago and my forging practices were a long way from how I work steel today.

 

[Will52100]

John, I've got some ordered from Cruciable also, how long did it take for yours to get in? Cant' wait to play with mine!

I have played with L-6 some what and it's the toughest steel I've ever seen, although I've never gotten much better cutting ability than from 1095. However this was from stock removal, some of it was recyled saw steel, some virging stock that had carbon banding and inclusions. I am interested in how low temp forging efects this steel, hopefuly it is clean.

Ed's right on the money about a 350 deg. draw. Although depending on manufacture and melts there can be a variance. I've seen a couple quit chipping at 300. I think there is a big variance in carbon content from melt to melt or manufactures.

Good luck and let us know your results