Stainless Steel Quench Question

DarthTaco123

DarthTaco123

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Mar 28, 2013
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My Neighbor gave me a decent sized billet of Stainless Steel. He didn't happen to say what alloy of steel it was, but he mentioned it was high carbon stainless steel that came from a company that manufactured the blades for wind farms. I was wondering what quench to use, if any was needed.
 
Is it magnetic?? If so you MIGHT have good blade steel. Most stainless is air hardening and requires a high degree of control depending on the type. So basically we are swagging trying to tell you how to HT it. First find out if it is magnetic.
 
Sell it at the scrapyard and use the money to buy some steel that you know how to properly H/T.
 
Unfortunately if it is magnetic the scrapyard will only give you 10 cents a pound. If it's non magnetic you get a whole 50 cents a pound. Better to save it to use as guards.
 
I'll do a quick magnet test when I get home. I'm on a student budget at the moment so I'm using what I salvage, or what's given to me.
 
Just a wild guess: Soak it in a foil wrap at 1950h for 30 minutes, and air cool. ??? Temper at 400f for 1hx2. If you are on a budget, I assume you don't have a kiln, dry ice, or liquid nitrogen. You seriously don't have $20.00 for some known steel?
 
Even though its free, unknown/mystery steel will cost you more $$$ in the long run than starting with a piece of steel that you know how to properly H/T. Trust me, as they say, I've been there and done that. I learned the hard way, just trying to keep you from going down the same road and wasting money you don't have.
 
If you do indeed have some H1 steel. It is an austenistic, precipitation hardening steel. If it is in its annealed state, all you need to do is shape it, heat it to a lower temperature (I have no idea what it is, but @ 1000 F is a value for other PH steels), hold it for a bit, then let it cool. You now have a hardened blade. H1 will also work harden so your blade should be pretty much finished before your precipitation treatment.
 
Sounds great. The billet if decent size, and I'll be able to get quite quite a few knives out of it (large and small). Now it's just to the drawing board to figure out what I want to file out.
 
You cant use/count on work hardening to harden a knife blade! :rolleyes:
 
I didn't intend on work-hardening it, and doing the minimal amount of forging. If i can do this nearly all stock-removal I will. I'm hoping to make it a D-Guard Bowie. The first big fixed blade knife I'll ever have done. Still trying to get an idea of what I want for a shape right now though. I HOPE the only forging I'll need to do is shaping the D Guard, and heating it up for the hardening.
 
H1 is a bird of a different feather. Users have reported the edge getting better with use. So heating the blade should get it into the mid 50s RHc-if you hit the correct temperature. Working with the blade will increase that hardness. Many older knives were peened to increase the edge hardness. Indeed, many years ago it was considered best practice:)
 
Good good! Looking to use the Bowie as a light field work/chopper, as well as possible self defense knife (go figure a Bowie serving it's purpose). Trying to find the ideal length/size. I think I've redrawn it three or four times now and thrown away each one. I guess it'd be a good idea to peruse the internet now for historical examples hehe.
 
Darthco

Tell you what. Since forging ss/h1 is a real bear and you really need a better knife steel than that. Send me your address and I will send you a piece of 2x13x.228 free of charge. I would rather you use this than spend too much time and $$ on that steel.
 
Since you are a student I will do you even one better. If you are unfamiliar with ht if carbon steel I would be willing to ht it for you. Just send it back to me and I will do it and send it back. Or you can ht it yourself up to you.
 
As much as I appreciate the offer, knife making is a hobby right now, and from what I've heard I'm going to keep the h1 to pure stock removal. My forge is large enough that for hardening I can get a good, even heat, and that's all I hope I need to use it for, but I might even just stick to work hardening. I also really need to practice my filing, and honestly I'd rather not bugger up any "good" steel. Once I feel like I won't bugger up an investment (which I most certainly will end up doing) I'll probably buy some 1084 from Aldo.
 
Spend some time looking for the precipitation temperatures and time for H1. Also-if this isn't H1 all of this advise is useless. Once you find the information on the temp/time, cut a small piece off and try treating it to see if you are hardening it. If you can't get it to harden it might be a 300 or 400 series stainless.
 
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