Peening carbon vs stainless rat tail tang

[J-T-K]

Hi

Before I attempt peening a SS Lauri blade, is it more difficult than peening a carbon steel blade? I'm talking about peening it at the pommel once the rat tail end fits through the handle.

Thanks

 

[Ken H>]

Yes, SS can be more difficult. Most of the SS for blades will air harden so the tang will be hard and almost impossible to peen. Carbon steel can usually be annealed (somewhat) at the rat tail to help in peening. Either the tang can be held in tongs while quenching so keeping tang from quench so the tang stays unhardened, or the rat tail can be heated after knife is finished and allowed to slowly cool keeping the rat tail softer for peening.

I don't do peening so I'm talking from my "thinking" rather than experience so everyone please feel free to correct if needed.

Ken H>

 

[DevinT]

It will be difficult to anneal the tang enough to peen, you should think about welding on a piece of 316 which will work a lot better.

Hoss

 

[J-T-K]

Thanks! I might go for hidden tang in that case for the fillet knife. I haven't peened before so I'll have my first go at it with carbon steel.

 

[Mark van Elteren]

I peen stainless tangs on stacked birch bark handles. I heat them up to red/orange 3 times, letting it cool to room temperature in between. It seems to soften them enough to allow peening. For tools, I use a couple of rounded punches and a stub handle hammer.

 

[Natlek]

Hi

Before I attempt peening a SS Lauri blade, is it more difficult than peening a carbon steel blade? I'm talking about peening it at the pommel once the rat tail end fits through the handle.

Thanks

Did you checked tang ? Maybe it is anealed on end ?

 

[J-T-K]

Ok, not 100% sure whatbwhat I'm looking for but I checked a couple of the Lauri SS blade tangs and there is an iridescent patch (like oil on water) on them about two inches before the end of the tang. The steel seems to have a different hue on the side of the patch that is towards the blade, and the side that is towards the end of the tang.

 

[Natlek]

Try with file ...................

 

[J-T-K]

Try with file ...................

Ok, finally got to it. Seems fairly soft, like filing brass. I can easily turn the end of the tang into a tip. It's a kitchen knife, so it's just 1 or 2mm thick.

 

[Mobius1]

I asked this same question about peening 3v a couple of years ago. Stacy gave me this tip, and it has worked for me:

"After HT and tempering, heat the tang with a torch to a very dull red ( just barely visible - not bright red). It must stay magnetc. Keep it there for a couple minutes if you can. Let it cool slowly to black, then cool in water. That shold soften the 3V enough to peen the tang."

This should also work with SS.

 

[J-T-K]

Ok, that took an hour and a half (I made several mistakes I learnt from!). I think it would now take me 30/40 minutes.

Tips:
- lots of fast, precise hammer hits rather than few hard ones
- get yourself comfortable before you start, I'm aching all over!
- the bit to peen can be very short, it mushrooms very slowly as you hit it