O1 How smooth before Heat Treating?

valcas1

valcas1

Joined
Feb 25, 2007
Messages
934
I am new to the knife making game and have just started my first couple of blades out of 01. I am going to send them to Peters heat treating.

Please let me know your process before heat treating if you will. What grit do you suggest I take these blades to before the process. I am currently up to 120 grit. It seems a bit rough to me. Never having done this before I don't know if it is good enough.

Also if you would let me know what you feel is acceptable after heat treating for a nice satin finish, user type knives.

Thanks to all that reply in advance, I appreciate the knowledge and wisdom of the knifemakers here that contribute daily.

Paul
 
For my O-1 blades, I take them to a 400 grit hand finish (sand paper) before heat treat. Take 'em up high grit on the grinder (up to say 400 or 600) without pushing hard into the blade. You want to try to avoid heavy pressures into the piece on the grinder from the beginning; let the belts do the work. It may take longer, but it saves belts, decreases heat build up, lessens your chances of really messing up, and it prevents the deep scratches that are a #^%$^# to get out with sand paper. I go ahead and hand finish with paper before heat treat, because that way I can see all of the deeper scratches from the grinder and remove them while the steel is softest. After heat treat, you can do it, but it takes more effort.

After the heat treat, I'll take the blades to the grinder at 400 with light pressure to take off scale and plenty of dips in water to avoid over heating. Then I'll go back to 220 paper and work up to 400 or 600 hand finish with sanding scratches running parallel to the blade. This leaves a nice smooth satin finish that's easy to touch up if you scratch it during use.

--nathan
 
I grind mine to 220 on the belt ..make sure my plunges are clean, the heat treat away..a bit of clean up afterwards(i slow my machine down to avoid overheating) sand them to 400 like that..then clamp them up and sand parallel to the blade out to 400 or 600 grit for user knives(all i make) You can speed up the process after ht by using a palm sander with some micarta screwed on instead of a sanding pad. there are as many methods as makers..hope this helps a little..later Luke
 
I can only add what not to do. I made knives for the last 30 years with files and hand tools. Got my first belt grinder just a few months ago. Somehow in my mind I thought a 50 grit belt and a mill bastard file would be comparable in finish. Silly me. I will be working the scratches out of these knives for quite some time.
 
i take it to 220-400 befor heat treating. i use a 220 J weight belt to finish plunge cuts by tracking the belt past the edge of the contact wheel by 1/8-1/4 and letting the belt form the plung cut.
 
May depend on how thin you are grinding before heat treat. For thin blades I go to 220, just finished some heavy cutters in O1 and I went to 80. There is alot of material to remove from the thicker and I will start with a 80 grit.
 
i usually take everything to a mirror polish before ht unless its damascus then i go to 600 or so. makes clean up work after alot easier
you do really have to go that far imo but it works for me
 
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