newbie D2 question - plasma?

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wack

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Dec 24, 2005
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Hi guys just 2 quick questions , I have some 4mm D2 comming in as a first proper knife .

Is it ok to profile out the blade with a hand held pasma cutter if I allow about 1/8 of an inch to be ground back for the final shape?

Secondly , i'm going for a full flat grind ( like a chefs knife) , how thick should I allow the edge to be before heat treating - I'm guesing don't take it to a razor sharpness because it'll melt right? .(I can work in mm or inches.)

I will be getting it done the heat treat done profesionaly. (Tho don't know of any good places down here in Austraila apart from some place in melbourn?)

Thanks you for your time guys - Wack
 
Last edited:
wack said:
Hi guys just 2 quick questions , I have some 4mm D2 comming in as a first proper knife .

Is it ok to profile out the blade with a hand held pasma cutter if I allow about 1/8 of an inch to be ground back for the final shape?

Secondly , i'm going for a full flat grind ( like a chefs knife) , how thick should I allow the edge to be before heat treating - I'm guesing don't take it to a razor sharpness because it'll melt right? .(I can work in mm or inches.)

I will be getting it done the heat treat done profesionaly. (Tho don't know of any good places down here in Austraila apart from some place in melbourn?)

Thanks you for your time guys - Wack
Click to expand...

Firstly, you can use any means to profile your blade, however I guess plasma cutting needs some stress relief process. After profiling and shaping before HT you better send a note to HT professionals to stress relieve your blank before hardening...

If HT done in a professional manner you don't need to worry about melting the edge, etc. The only problem will be the possibility of bends or ripples along the thin edge, therefore you better leave the edge a little meaty. Depending on the profile thickness and the bevel type about 0.6 to 0.3 mm thick edge is quite ok for a D2 blade. I leave edge sometimes thinner than 0.2mm but I do the HT so I know my limits depending on the profile thickness and my methods...

D2 is quite common steel around the globe so I'm sure you'll find somebody there...

Emre
 
Thanks Emre , I was a little worried about stress relieving . As a first blade , maby I might just do a little bit more grinding and keep it cool. Once i think I and the heat treaters know what we're doing I might get the plasma going. One more thing to go wrong i supose , that and I just burnt my last tip out tonight (ha ha )

As far as the edge thickness goes, thanks, I might stick to the half a mm odd and be on the safe side because these old eyes have had to many welding flashes latley.

thank you for your time -Wack
 
You WILL melt the edge ! The edge will then become hardened and leave a thin layer of untempered martensite which must be tempered .There will also be stresses from the cutting. A 1100-1200 F 'stress relieve ' heating will take care of both but it should be done immediately.
 
Good catch Mete, I totally forgot the martensite formation around the cut... I'd recommend you give the angle grinder a chance, be sure to keep the guard on and have an eye protection and a respirator...
Mete, he was asking if the thin edge would melt in HT, I'm quite sure it wont happen in a controlled environment. But youre right about the stress relief should be done right after cutting, I missed that..

Good luck Wack..

Emre
 
yep , thanks guys , the martensite formation was what I was worried about . I might just stick with the linisher and files for the time being . I haven't had to do any decent filing since I did the first yr of my boilermakers apprenticship , so it should be intersting - ha :D

Galadduin , yep i was just after how thin you grind before HT , thanks mate :) :thumbup:
 
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