SS blade status prior to HT

N

Nats

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Jan 13, 2005
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I'm about to grind my first stainless blade (154cm) and was wondering how much material to leave on prior to HT? I would assume the same as a carbon blade (I've been using 0-1). Leave a little meat on the bones to avoid warpage and cracking ;) . Should I cut the plunge lines in completely prior to HT or will that create to much of a stress riser?

Any other words of wisdom before I start taking away what I can't put back :) ?
 
I send my stuff out to be heat treated by profesionals in a vuccume oven. I highly recomend you do the same. Send your blades out finished to the same degree as you want on the compleated knife (ie 400 grit satin) The blades will come back with a very light straw coloring. This will come off easily by going back over the blade with the last grit you used.

As for thickness you can leave the edge as thin as you like, if it does not buckle while you are grinding it will not buckle in the oven. Don't send blades in with sharp burrs or a sharpened edge, respect the blokes cooking your blades. To minimise the chances of creating stress risers it is good practice to slightly counter sink all holes in your tang and run over the edge with 240 to 400 grit from ricaso to tip, a bit of over kill but it makes me feel secure.

Happy grinding Nats

Peter
 
Paul Bos heat treats my knives. I pretty much finish them to 90%. After heat treat, I just go over the bevels with a Scotchbrite belt and hit the flats with a 400 grit. Edge thickness is 0.015" to 0.020" depending on application.
 
Thanks guys. I will definitely be sending them out. I'm not equiped for SS HT.

I will leave just a bit of material for cleanup then. I'll ask the HT guy ow he likes it too.
 
Make absolutely sure that you sand out ALL scratches from the coarser grits. You should have a good 400+ finish on the blade. Don't get caught saying, "Oh. I'll just clean that bad place up after HT." It will be a B***H to do after HT. Leave just enough material on the edge to clean it up and sharpen it. The flats should be ready to polish before HT.
Stacy
 
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