- Joined
- Dec 27, 2001
- Messages
- 729
I just heat treated 3 blades. Two of them were 1095/ 15N20 damascus, and for once, I had no problem with them. The other was O-6 Tool Steel. It's my first knife from O-6. After edge quenching and letting the blade cool for maybe a minute or more in the oil, I took it out and it sounded like Rice Krispies!!! Snap, Crackling and Popping like crazy. It continued for a good couple of minutes. I have always heard it's best to go straight to the tempering oven, so I didn't wait any longer.
So what is going on here? Are there now hundreds of tiny stress fractures in my blade? Does the edge quench have anything to do with it? Or the fact that it's 20 degrees in the shop? (The oil was 140 degrees by the way). Bonus points to anyone who can explain what's truly happening inside the steel at this point. Thanks.
So what is going on here? Are there now hundreds of tiny stress fractures in my blade? Does the edge quench have anything to do with it? Or the fact that it's 20 degrees in the shop? (The oil was 140 degrees by the way). Bonus points to anyone who can explain what's truly happening inside the steel at this point. Thanks.