lessons learned today

K

krap22

Joined
Sep 2, 2008
Messages
47
If at first you don't succeed, try it again, and again, and again.

I've been trying to heat treat my first knife. I have tried twice already. I guess third time is a charm.

Lesson 1: 2 torches won't make a bad design for a forge better. Here is my forge.
SatFeb06134951CST2010.jpg


I have a mapp gas torch that goes in through a hole in the side. It wasn't getting the forge hot enough so i added a propane torch to the front of it. That is what the block in front of the forge is for. I let it go for about 15 minutes with my blade in the forge and it was just getting part of the blade warm (faint hint of red). Is there something i can do to make this forge perform better? is the mapp gas torch enough or do i need to step up and make on that fits on a larger propane tank?

Lesson 2: if 1 torch won't heat treat a 4.5" blade (previous attempt), then add another torch. I was able to successfully get my blade to critical temp and quench it. It's now in the toaster oven tempering.

Lesson 3: DON"T TOUCH THE HANDLE within 10 minutes of quenching:eek:. Even though i didn't heat treat the handle, it was still hot as hell. I burnt my finger by touching the handle. Luckily it was only one finger that touched it and it didn't cause much damage.
 
They are fire bricks i picked up from Menards. They were the only ones i could find around here.
 
That's going to be your biggest problem. Those look to be hard refractory bricks. While they're fine for fireplaces and such, the soft bricks are needed to reflect heat back into a forge chamber. Also, your chamber design being fully square doesn't allow the flame to evenly flow around for even heating. If you could recreate the forge with soft bricks, you could cut/carve bricks to round out your chamber corners to create a vortex. Check in the nearest big city/town for a refractories supplier. They usually have cases of the soft brick on hand.

--nathan
 
krap22,

If you fill out your profile to let us know were you live someone might be able to help you out in person.

You really need a bit more than a mapp torch to do it right. It can be done but really difficult.
 
if you are going to go with soft brick then I would suggest Inswhool or kaowhool with ITC wash inside a tube. Then make a proper burner and use propane. There are a number of tube forge designs out there. I based mine on Wayne Goddards Dragons Breath Forge. Kevin Cashin also had a similar design on his site or Indian George has one also with a list of supplies needed.
 
would it be worth me putting some of the inswhool inside of what i currently have and using it to make a round shape?
 
If you do that, you need to have some kind of coating over the inswool. Something like ITC or satanite is needed to keep the inswool from blowing itself apart and spreading silicates into the air you breathe.

--nathan
 
silver_pilate said:
If you do that, you need to have some kind of coating over the inswool. Something like ITC or satanite is needed to keep the inswool from blowing itself apart and spreading silicates into the air you breathe.

--nathan
Click to expand...

+1. Do NOT be tempted to skip this, even temporarily. It's seriously bad juju.

Dave
 
Thanks for the help guys. If i put in the inswool, do i needs something else for a heat source?
 
If you are going to do it then go all the way. A propane burner is not that difficult build and pretty inexpensive. Once you have it all together then it will last for a long time. The forge you have looks a bit large for a standard plumbing torch or 2. A propane burner will get you up to forging temps if you so desire and will be just the ticket for simple heat treating (non stainless). It can be used for SS but will take a bit more control with the ability to hold it at the temp desired. Forges can be upgraded as you go. You can add a thermocouple and controller with a solenoid for fine control.
 
If your going to put in insowool, just use the current firebrick as the shell.
As stated though ensure you paint on some Satanite before firing it.
Or just get some soft firebrick and make what you have again and it will retain its heat much better.
Doing either of these might get you the appropriate heat with a mapp torch, at least it will be far better than what you are currently using.
Chris
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top