O1 Hamon?

You can get a transition or quench line, but you'll not get a high degree of activity because O1 is a deep hardening steel. For good activity you'll want to go with a low Mn. 10xx steel like 1095 or something like W1/W2.
 
Thanks acrid. I was just wondering because I'm making a 7" bowie out of O1 and am thinking of just edge quenching it. Would this be the best way?
 
Take a look at and do a search for Brian Goode's knives. He gets amazing hamons on 0-1.
Later,
Iz
 
No offense, but a straight quench line is not what most anybody would refer to as an amazing hamon. Just using the term hamon invokes thoughts of a wavy, whispy line with all sorts of character in it.

Some would say I'm nit picking semantics... but I don't think so. I edge quenched one of my very first forged blades and got a straight line... it's taken me several years with clay coated hardening to get a handle on it, and I'm still learning with each one. :)
 
I managed to get a good look at Brian's knives at Blade this year. From the looks of his knives, I think he deeply etches them to get the contrast and pop the quench line. He's a great guy and his knives are cool, but I'm with Nick on the semantics of this term, they are not hamon.

Dustin - unless you are trying to show a transition line, I see no reason to edge quench. If that's what you're going for then yes, it will work for you. You may have to get a deep etch to show real contrast. If you just want a functional knife then I would through quench.
 
So I should through quench the whole bowie? I thought that differentialy tempering would be the way to go on a bigger knife? That's what Wayne Goddard does. ;)
 
I understand where you guys are coming from but I respectfully disagree.
From what I understand Hamon means literally "blade pattern". Wavy or straight doesn't come into the picture for me.
You're right, it's all in what you're going for and what you like. I can appreciate the skill and technique it takes to do both but I don't feel one is inferior to the other.
Just my opinion, and you know what they say about those.
Later,
Iz
 
Hamon means, "Waves at the edge of the water". It refers to the pattern waves leave on the sand or the ripples at the edge of a pond. It is formed by the transition point of different structures, and usually involves a planned and designed activity.

While there are many smiths who create lovely quench lines by edge quenching, I personally feel that these lines do not in any way qualify as a hamon. Generally , no one considers an edge quench line, or a temper line (differential temper), as a hamon.

If you go in and out your bedroom through the window, you can call it a door, but it is still a window.

Stacy

There have been some excellent threads on formation and control of hamon. Try a search on, "hamon".

Here is one:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=603064
 
If you want what Nick is talking about try to get some 1080. Should give you plenty of activity :D

My method is basically that I started out with O-1 because I like what you get from it in performance, and I had no other way of getting the blades hot enough than with a torch. I saved and bought a proper heat treating oven and still all customers wanted what they were used to seeing from me.

Try what you want and see what works for you.
 
Appreciate the replies. For the record, I think your knives look awesome Brian. I guess now I'm wondering what the best way to quench my bowie would be.
 
AcridSaint said:
Dustin - unless you are trying to show a transition line, I see no reason to edge quench. If that's what you're going for then yes, it will work for you. You may have to get a deep etch to show real contrast. If you just want a functional knife then I would through quench.
Click to expand...

You would through quench, then draw the spine back with a torch? Or just temper it and not have a softer spine?
 
bindlestitch said:
I understand where you guys are coming from but I respectfully disagree.
From what I understand Hamon means literally "blade pattern". Wavy or straight doesn't come into the picture for me.
You're right, it's all in what you're going for and what you like. I can appreciate the skill and technique it takes to do both but I don't feel one is inferior to the other.
Just my opinion, and you know what they say about those.
Later,
Iz
Click to expand...

You can have a "suguha" or straight hamon (though they aren't usually as "straight" as a quench line), but even these have other qualities that you don't get with a simple edge quench and which won't show up in deep hardening steels. The activity in the steel is part of the hamon and not something that will come through in these steels.

As to the other question, I would through harden and temper as normal. I don't differential heat treat unless there is a specific purpose like creating a decorative transition.
 
I thought the purpose of having a softer spine was to make it so it would not break as easily if it somehow got bent. Then again, if the whole blade was quenched and tempered, it would resist bending as easily... :confused:
 
Give it a try and see what works best for you, I've never had a problem with through hardened blades breaking or bending. You may be surprised at the kind of regular abuse a large blade can take, even when not differentially heat treated. If you're trying to bend it back and forth like they do in the Ed Fowler video then you may want a soft spine, but if you want to chop, cut and bang around with it, I can't see any real advantage.
 
AcridSaint said:
Give it a try and see what works best for you, I've never had a problem with through hardened blades breaking or bending. You may be surprised at the kind of regular abuse a large blade can take, even when not differentially heat treated. If you're trying to bend it back and forth like they do in the Ed Fowler video then you may want a soft spine, but if you want to chop, cut and bang around with it, I can't see any real advantage.
Click to expand...

OK. Thanks!! I don't bend mine anyway.

Why do they make them bend in the JS and MS test?
 
Alright. Thanks for your input on the subject, Acrid. Now for my next question... how should I temper the blade? I read 500 for one hour is good.
 
I would suggest two, two hour heats at 450°, to 475°, cooled to room temp in between, but 500° is ok if you want it a tad softer. By my testing, which is not highly accurate, I get 58 to 59 Rc at 450°, and about 56/57 at 475°.
 
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