Softening a tang...

Mundele

Mundele

Joined
Aug 5, 2000
Messages
403
Hey Y'all...

I have a question. I have a knife blade that has a hardened tang. I need to file down the end of the tang and put it through an end nut and mash it down to hold the handle on, but I imagine that this is gonna be really hard to do since the whole tang is hardened. Is it possible to soften just the end of the tang by heating without ruining the heat treat of the entire blade?

Thanks...

--Matt
 
You can probably use a propane torch to selectively soften the area you need softened. Some people use a torch to spot anneal a place they need to drill, and it doesn't seem to affect the blade as long as you don't let the heat transfer to the blade. You could maybe leave the blade in a jar of water with the tang sticking out, and apply heat to the end of the tang where you want it softened.
 
There are two ways I know to make sure you don't change the blade taper. Either dunk the blade in a bucket of water while heating the tang with a torch or...wrap the blade with a very wet rag. I've never had any problem with either procedure.:)
 
Okay, the next part of my question will really show my ignorance. Would I heat that end up and then quench it, or heat it up and let it air-cool or what to get it to be softer?

--Matt
 
Mundele: You did not state what the steel is. If it is a carbon steel you could probably get away with shining it up and heating to a little above dark blue, don't get it red. Give it a try then if necessary go a little hotter, but not much. The blade in the water trick should work.
 
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