Should this be quenched?

R

Randy Irwin

Joined
May 28, 2003
Messages
28
Advise please:

I had a thin, narrow piece of 1084 left over from cutting a blank for other project. The profile looked very nicely tapered and so in spare time it's been worked into a diamond stilleto. It will be furnished with Renaissance style fittings--just something fun.

Anyway, the blade is 14 inches long, 3/16 thick and widest point at tang is 5/16. Think of a long, thin, distal tapered, diamond shaped spear head.

How to I heat treat this? If I quench harden, there's no way to control the depth because the blade is so thin it will all turn to Martensite. Being so thin, long and distal tapered, I am worried this blade will warp and twist very badly when quenched. Does anybody have some advice to offer for a poor newbie? What would you do?

Thanks
Randy
 
The trick is to heat uniformly then quench the blade vertically. I think I would make a brick furnace that would austenize vertically being very careful that it is of uniform color (therefore Temperature) then quench vertically.
 
Randy, I usually clay temper diamond/square/triangle blades, it keeps the edges hard, while retaining a softer core. There is less chance of twist/wharping this way than any other. The clay I use is a mixture of fireclay/sand/coal dust with water and a tsp of muratic acid(to help establish temper line). Coat blade carefully leaving edges/tip clean, then when completely dry, heat to non-magnetic and vertical quench. Draw temper in oven, three times at 350-375 dgrs. Should give you (with1084) between 56-58Rc at the edges & a softer core. If you have further questions, feel free to holler, Lee Oates/www.bearclawknives.com
 
Welcome to the forums!!

I think your cutoff has some stress because of being cut off another piece and should be normalized first. Normalizing is part of the heat-treatment as a general rule anyway. It will reduce the chances for warping. I would use a salt bath to normalize and straighten until all the stress is out and then austenize and quench in 160 deg oil. If it is still warped I would do it again.

The other two methods will also work and may be easier if you dont have the salt setup.
 
Thanks for advice. You guys mentioned some things I should have known already but just plain forgot--due to lack of experience I guess.

Being such a thin, narrow blade, I'm really interested in how the heat treatment turns out. Will heat treat soon and follow the advice given here...who knows maybe will post it in the gallery someday.
 
mete, Bruce, BearClaw--
Followed you guys advice and it came out really good. Normalized it 2X, Then Satanite down center, getting thicker gradually toward tang. Vertical quenched in brine at 140 (didn't have any oil around and was too lazy to go get some), then tempered for 2 hours at 375.

Last blade I clay hardened had hamon all over the place and being this one was so thin and narrow, I expected terrible results. Hamon
on this blade gets in close to center ridge in some places where a piece of clay flaked off, but being this is just something to play with, and mostly a learning exercise, I was happy with results---THANKS AGAIN!
 
Just so you know: Rules for this forum are that after you get hlep you have to post a picture of what you were helped with. :)
 
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