making my first knife .. have questions ..

Hay harleyfox, I'm an old, old hard head and they told me that I couldn't heat treat 440c myself also [only a bbq grill].
But i tried anyway, looked real good.
Next day went to my first knife show, had it in my back pocket-gonna show it off.
Well met a maker there that I liked and talked alot- he asked me if he could tk it home and run an rc on it. thats fine
Next he said the rc was 30 something--softer-than when I got it.
but heat treated it and tempered it to 57 and gave it back to me-
no charge.
I ordered a chili forge and started reading everything I could find on knives and told my wife to slap me when she heard me argueing
with things that I have read-very hardheaded.
This was about 6 yrs ago-have made around 400 sence with very good resulse
Welcome to BF and good luck Jerry
PS you don't have to post---JUST READ
 
I advise finding a more suitable steel. 440c is a air hardening high alloy steel and you would need a vacuum purged, nitrogen inert gas forge to heat treat it. Attempting to heat treat it in any environment exposing it to oxygen would simply ruin it. The heat treating cycle for it is also very complex.

If you want to stay with 440c, you could send it out for heat treatment though.

Edit: Just now realized you changed your mind and decided to save the steel for later. Good choice and best of luck to you with your first knife:thumbup:

This is a craft that requires many attempts to get good at, so no matter how your first knife comes out, stay persistant. I'm on my 3rd knife right now and still working out a few flaws. (Mainly fit/finish)
 
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