Need help with straightening twisted AEB-L steel

[Keanen]

I ramp at 500°F to 1200°F and then soak for 2 hours with an oven cool. I do cover the blanks with a foil blanket so the blanks are not exposed to direct radiant heat from the oven coils.

Ok, thanks for the details. I don't have any foil blankets. Would Nuclay anti scale compound work in this case? I have been using that for my stainless. Thanks!

 

[Keanen]

a twist requires you to identify and find the ridgeline to straighten it

Thanks so much for the visual. That really helps me to understand. I will give it a try!

 

[Seedy Lot]

Ok, thanks for the details. I don't have any foil blankets. Would Nuclay anti scale compound work in this case? I have been using that for my stainless. Thanks!

Protecting the steel during a stress releaving step is probably the least of your problems. I would recomend you invest in foil for heat treating the high alloys steels or leave blanks larger with plans of grinding down decarb that forms with your Nuclay protection.

I recommend you read this article.

Coatings vs Foil - Heat Treating Steel - Knife Steel Nerds

What are scale and decarb and why do you need to avoid them? Are heat treat coatings or foil better for protecting the surface?

knifesteelnerds.com

 

[J. Hoffman]

I use a lot of AEB-L and it all comes from Alpha. Not trying to be a smart ass, but the easiest way to get a warp out is to not let it warp in the first place. After plate quench, the blades from each heat treat batch get clamped together with small c-clamps from Harbor Freight. These C-clamps should be considered consumables because they only last 8 or 9 cycles. The group of blades are clamped together and stay clamped in the LN and through both temper cycles. Very rarely do I need to hit them with my Daily hammer.

 

[Stuart Davenport Knives]

I have NEVER had an AEB-L blade stay straight while grinding, but I always use 1/16"-3/32" stock. I can get them pretty dead flat post temper, but during grinding every single knife I have made from AEB-L has moved. And that is with making sure my grinds are even on both sides. As in, if I make 5 passes on one side, I make 5 passes on the other.

 

[LCoop]

Dang hate to hear that. I plate quench during the whole process and have little problems. Maybe I'm just lucky, IDK I always grind post heat treat like today with extremely thin paring knives

 

[Stuart Davenport Knives]

To be fair, most all blades I have made from AEB-L have been long kitchen cutlery knives, like chef's knives and sujihiki. After plates/cryo/temper, they will lay dead flat on a surface plate, but that all goes aways once I get underway grinding bevels. The tip of the last sujihiki (9" blade, 1/16" stock) was bent to the right, but only about 1/16". I think that some makers probably wouldnt' notice it, or if they did, call it good.

In that situation, 95% of the grinding was done when I noticed the tip wasn't dead straight. Nothing the carbide hammer couldnt' take care of quickly. After that it was just a matter of cleaing up the divots with a 120 belt, and proceed on without issue.

 

[Keanen]

Protecting the steel during a stress releaving step is probably the least of your problems. I would recomend you invest in foil for heat treating the high alloys steels or leave blanks larger with plans of grinding down decarb that forms with your Nuclay protection.

I recommend you read this article.

Coatings vs Foil - Heat Treating Steel - Knife Steel Nerds

What are scale and decarb and why do you need to avoid them? Are heat treat coatings or foil better for protecting the surface?

knifesteelnerds.com

Ok, I read the article and watched the video. Thank you for sharing. I'll definitely be investing in foil from here forward. Thanks a lot!

 

[Keanen]

I use a lot of AEB-L and it all comes from Alpha. Not trying to be a smart ass, but the easiest way to get a warp out is to not let it warp in the first place. After plate quench, the blades from each heat treat batch get clamped together with small c-clamps from Harbor Freight. These C-clamps should be considered consumables because they only last 8 or 9 cycles. The group of blades are clamped together and stay clamped in the LN and through both temper cycles. Very rarely do I need to hit them with my Daily hammer.

I am usually able to get warps out with my carbide hammer and plates, but these arrived rippled from what I am guessing was an abusive transit. I tried straightening them beforehand and used my plate quench, but those warps were pretty severe from the start. It sounds like I need to start purchasing from Alpha!

 

[Keanen]

I have NEVER had an AEB-L blade stay straight while grinding, but I always use 1/16"-3/32" stock. I can get them pretty dead flat post temper, but during grinding every single knife I have made from AEB-L has moved. And that is with making sure my grinds are even on both sides. As in, if I make 5 passes on one side, I make 5 passes on the other.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. Is there another stainless steel you'd suggest that doesn't do this so much?

 

[Cypress Creek Knives]

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. Is there another stainless steel you'd suggest that doesn't do this so much?

I have found S35VN to be a very stable steel. I have always liked the performance. CPM 154 would be a good option too.

 

[Stuart Davenport Knives]

The PM steels do seem to be more stable. D2 is another one, regular ingot D2, very stable.