Some A2 questions

[Elleipein]

While my hand is healing I am doing research on some metal. I have dealt with 1084, 1095, O1, D2, and 154cm. But I am looking into working with A2 and I have read some information concerning heat treatment of it but I am uncertain about the soak time for it. I would be working with an 1/8th by 1 1/4th piece or so.

Here is the information that I have read.

http://www.crucibleservice.com/datash/dsA2v12.pdf?CFID=398277&CFTOKEN=87281266

 

[TinyDee]

A2 is one of my favorite steels. Very stable in heat treat and a great steel for a knife. "Soak" time may be a little unclear, at least to me. I temper for at least two hours, twice. THe initial heat treat is for at least thirty minutes, after in the oven and at the right temperature. Does this help?

 

[mete]

Specs are usually based on 1" thick material so soak for a knife would be perhaps 20-30 minutes.

 

[Elleipein]

Thanks that helps a little. I will play with it and see what happens.

 

[flatgrinder]

Make sure you get the temper right.

I ruined a perfectly good camp knife by tempering at too low of a temperature (350 ... I should have gone higher!!!) and had the blade chip in numerous places while chopping a 2 X 4 in half.

 

[Dan Gray]

Make sure you get the temper right.

I ruined a perfectly good camp knife by tempering at too low of a temperature (350 ... I should have gone higher!!!) and had the blade chip in numerous places while chopping a 2 X 4 in half.

ruined is a very sharp word for a blade
unless the chips were real big , why not dismantle it and re-temper it?
and then re-work the edge..

also,
one point of the less time needed to soak a blade would be, think about
a 1" thick piece having to heat to the center before you start your count down