M2 heat treating

[Gene Martin]

I plan on using some M2 in the future. Any words of wisdom on heat treating?

Thanks for the input.

Gene

 

[AchimW]

Use protective gas or vacuum furnace. Austenizing temperature is way too high to use HT foil.

Preheat to 1450° F and hold about 10 minutes at least.
Heat rapidly to 2175 - 2250° F and austenize for about 5 minutes once whole blade has reached temperature.
Quench in warm oil, air or salt.

Cryo quench in liquid nitrogen recommended.

Temper at 1000 to 1100° F for 2 hours.

 

[Larrin]

The Crucible data sheet has essentially all of the info you need: http://www.crucibleservice.com/datash/dsM2v2.pdf?CFID=2103929&CFTOKEN=95959335

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Temper at least two, better three times.
Stacy

 

[JTknives]

Get pre hardened power hack saw blades and go through tons of belts grinding it

 

[J.S. Carter]

:thumbup: +1 on what JT said! Here's one of my recent knives using power hacksaw blades.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=578595

 

[Russ Andrews]

From the FWIW department......
Gerber's M2 blades (1960's thru 80's)
were austempered...

 

[butcher_block]

i 2nd the crucible data sheets as they have not let me down in gettign the numbers i am after

then i some times play around a bit adn see what happens on a few test blades (read try odd tempers and quench temps)