Need help hardness testing a coupon

B

Blackdirt cowboy

Joined
Oct 29, 2015
Messages
301
I’ve primarily been working with 1084 so far. Up to now, I was heat treating in my forge. I just purchased a jen Ken knife kiln to start heat treating more precisiely. I have no idea how to know if the thermocouple is reading the correct temperature or not. So tomorrow, I have a batch of knives to heat treat. I plan on heat treating a coupon of 1084 steel along with the knives. After tempering, I’d like to hardness test the coupon, so I know if I need to tweak anything temperature wise. The only problem is, I don’t have a hardness tester. Is there anyone on this forum near me that has a hardness tester that would be willing to test this coupon for me? If not, is there someone willing to let me mail it to them to be tested. I would be willing to pay a small fee to have it tested so I will know what hardness my process is producing.
 
I am always willing to hardness test coupons.
 
You're only an hour and a half from me if you want to drive down.
We can test it.
I am in Caldwell Tx
 
SBuzek said:
You're only an hour and a half from me if you want to drive down.
We can test it.
I am in Caldwell Tx
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Thanks. I may take you up on that offer. I hope to have everything heat treated today. But it’ll be at least a week before I could get away from here. I’ll stay in touch with you.
 
Ok, got a little show next weekend, so if you want you can just send them to me or JT.
Or if you can make it one day during the week.
Just let me know.
 
Another additional option for checking temps is putting salt in the oven in the same place you put your blades. It should melt at 1474F. Adjust until it does melt. I made a little bowl out of SS HT foil.
 
imill3567 said:
Another additional option for checking temps is putting salt in the oven in the same place you put your blades. It should melt at 1474F. Adjust until it does melt. I made a little bowl out of SS HT foil.
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How melted are we talking here. I tried this at 1475 and my pile of salt turned into a single chunk of salt. Does it solidify quickly when pulled out of the oven? Part burned through my foil cup and ran out I guess and what was left in the cup was a solid chunk. I'm guessing that means it melted!
 
E.Carlson said:
How melted are we talking here. I tried this at 1475 and my pile of salt turned into a single chunk of salt. Does it solidify quickly when pulled out of the oven? Part burned through my foil cup and ran out I guess and what was left in the cup was a solid chunk. I'm guessing that means it melted!
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Yes it will be a chunk when you take it out. It's best to start lower than 1475 in case your oven reads low. I started at maybe 1425 and just opened the door to check on it after letting it soak at each temp. If you pour the salt as a cone somewhat then it'll change shape when it starts to melt.
 
imill3567 said:
Yes it will be a chunk when you take it out. It's best to start lower than 1475 in case your oven reads low. I started at maybe 1425 and just opened the door to check on it after letting it soak at each temp. If you pour the salt as a cone somewhat then it'll change shape when it starts to melt.
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Yeah, that's what I got. I was checking locations in the oven. Didn't melt in the front half, melted in the back half.
 
Salt is not a real accurate way to test. Pure 100% sodium chloride will melt at that temp. But any impurity’s like iodine will change the melting temp. If your goi g to try this then use pickling salt as it’s pure.
 
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