Professional forging of Cowry-X

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Precept

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CORRECTION: Substitute "forging" for "professional heat treatment". I am looking for proper, professional heat treatment to achieve 66-67 HRC on Cowry-X already cut to my knife blueprints.
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I plan to make custom designed knife using Cowry-X.
That type of steel of course justifies something better than charcoal BBQ to forge.

Are there any professional forging services that know how to deal with Cowry-X in a respectable manner?

Gleb
 
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Not gonna happen. You don't do much forging with very high alloy stainless steels. They need very high temps, atmosphere controlled furnaces to get the performance up to design. Usually cryo, several tempers often pretty high ( 1000F in some cases). Quenches are pretty ( very) important. ZDP 189 ( similar to Cowry X) is easier and less expensive to find production knives in if you want to try the steel out for suitability to your needs and likes.

Joe
 
The Mastiff said:
Not gonna happen. You don't do much forging with very high alloy stainless steels. They need very high temps, atmosphere controlled furnaces to get the performance up to design. Usually cryo, several tempers often pretty high ( 1000F in some cases). Quenches are pretty ( very) important. ZDP 189 ( similar to Cowry X) is easier and less expensive to find production knives in if you want to try the steel out for suitability to your needs and likes.

Joe
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply.
So there aren't any professional heat treatment labs in existence that are capable [and willing] to offer forging of Cowry-X as a service?
 
Are you asking about forging or heat-treatment or both? Either way, Joe is right & wise.

Forging involves high-heat + hammer whacks. HT harden & temper the steel.
 
Jantz recommends "heat to 1880 degrees F, hold for thirty minutes in a controlled atmosphere furnace or kiln. Quench preferably in oil. A 375 degree draw will give you a hardness in the 57-58 range, with good toughness."
Mr. Hattori recommends 1020 to 1025C temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, then cool then temper at 240C for 90 minutes (Don't do a sub-zero quench).
apparently that's how he does his.
Cowry X and Cowry Y are made by Daido Tokushu Ko . Cowry X is high carbon steel, and Cowry Y is semi-stainless steel. Both are manufactured by powder metallurgical process. Cowry X hardens up to HRC67, Cowry Y to HRC63. X has more tendency to rust than Y.
 
parbajtor said:
Jantz recommends "heat to 1880 degrees F, hold for thirty minutes in a controlled atmosphere furnace or kiln. Quench preferably in oil. A 375 degree draw will give you a hardness in the 57-58 range, with good toughness."
Mr. Hattori recommends 1020 to 1025C temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, then cool then temper at 240C for 90 minutes (Don't do a sub-zero quench).
apparently that's how he does his.
Cowry X and Cowry Y are made by Daido Tokushu Ko . Cowry X is high carbon steel, and Cowry Y is semi-stainless steel. Both are manufactured by powder metallurgical process. Cowry X hardens up to HRC67, Cowry Y to HRC63. X has more tendency to rust than Y.
Click to expand...

Thanks :)
I know the theory. My dilemma is I do not have facilities in my basement to "...heat to 1880 degrees F, hold for thirty minutes in a controlled atmosphere furnace or kiln...".
Looking for someone who can do that for me.
 
I'm confused, do you need someone to do a heat treatment cycle on Cowry-X? Or do you need someone to forge a knife out of a bar of Cowry-X, as in hammering the bar into the shape of a knife while applying heat?

I think distinguishing between the two will help people better give you answers.
 
Misanthropia said:
I'm confused, do you need someone to do a heat treatment cycle on Cowry-X? Or do you need someone to forge a knife out of a bar of Cowry-X, as in hammering the bar into the shape of a knife while applying heat?

I think distinguishing between the two will help people better give you answers.
Click to expand...

Sorry, you're right - I need to be more clear in terminology i use.
I need someone to do professional heat treatment on a Cowry-X (after I made a shape out of raw Cowry-X bar myself)

(english is not my native language - I actually thought that "forging" means "hardening").
 
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