Paragon Heat Treat Question

N

North Star Forge

Joined
May 1, 2006
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13
Here's a question for you paragon owners. How quickly between quenching and tempering does it take the oven to cool down. I work mostly with 1095 so I quench usually around 1450 and temper mostly at 325-350. How long of a wait time am I looking at between pulling my blades out and when I can put them back in to temper? Thanks for the help. -Scott
 
It takes an oven of that kind way to long to cool enough for tempering.
My thoughts are to temper asap.
Get a counter top oven and have it ready to pop them right in.
I have a homemade oven similar to a Paragon and it take 2 -3 hours to cool down to that temp.
Take Care
TJ
 
That was my thought. I currently use a good counter top oven double checked with two oven thermometers. I have a small cress electric kiln (manual) that I use for hardening. The only draw back being that its top range is 1700. Given that I work mostly in 1095 though I don't really go over that. I was looking at an oven to give me precise tempering control, but I would hate to use the paragon just for that. Looks like I'll stick with the outfit I have now until I decide to venture into stainless and some of the more complex alloys. Thanks for the sounding board. -Scott
 
Just curious, but isn't 1450o a tad low to quench 1095? I was under the impression that it requires around 1500o, or even a bit higher to get good depth in the hardness. Just asking.
 
Scott

When you quench put a top on it. Now get a fan and cool down the oven to about 125 and put the blades back in for temper at 350 for 2 hours. Its faster and works better. Hope this was of help to you. All of this will be about 30 to 45 mi. -------:thumbup:
 
NEVER -Never-Never cool down your oven with a fan from full heat. The higher the heat, especially in the ranges of 154, sv-30, Ats, etc you will scale your elements, and thermocouple. This will make the thermo couple in accurate, and destroy years of life of the element. Not to mention void the warranty of your oven if it is a new one. I learned the hard ways guys! The element in the oven now has lasted over 15 years. The first one? Less than a year. decarb starts around 14ooF. Lets not even get into fire brick cracking, and warping of the element and cabinet. Mike
 
MLOVETT Very well said! When using the Paragon oven I try to limit the amount of time I have the door open. As soon as I have the knives out for quench I close the door immediately, and unplug the oven. Oxygen is a killer for your ellements and thermocouple as just explained.

You had the exact experience I had, my first set of elements lasted two years and failed while I had some urgent orders to fill. Since then they have lasted more than 15 years.;)
 
Yea, I baby my elements in my Paragon.... I want them to last.

I use the digitally controlled kitchen oven for tempering :D

I always love the look on somebody's face when they've watched all these meticulous steps unfold in the forging, grinding, and hardening of a blade and then they see it go into the kitchen oven! :D

I also have tempering salts but don't use them much anymore because the oven is most often easier.
 
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