Straightening a bent 1084 sword??

Col Defender

Col Defender

Joined
Nov 11, 2011
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Still working on my first sword - going pretty well for a first effort and today I heat treated it and quenched in canola oil. It came out of the quench with a gentle but noticeable bend 3/4 of the way to the back. Right now it is cooling off preparatory to the first temper cycle. (My wife's oven at 400 degrees.) I have been told that the best time to straighten a blade is in the second temper cycle.

But is that correct information? Is there a better time to do it? And if "second temper cycle" is correct, how do I do that and when? Just before going in the oven? Halfway through the cycle so I am working with hot steel? At the end of the cycle?

Any help will be much appreciated. My plan is to temper tomorrow morning.

Thanks!
 
If I sound ignorant it's because I am. Since most of my blades are 6" or less and never more than 10", I have never had to deal with a bent one. :-(
 
If I can't straighten while it's cooling from quench, then I do it when it's as hot as it's going to be from the temper oven. And then back in the oven and try again... and again... until it's as good as it's gonna get. But I wouldn't try it cold...
 
Clamp it to something straight, then throw it in the oven for the second temper. Long piece of angle iron would work. May have to shim it a little past straight and temper again if it doesn't do right on the first try.
 
Isn't the best time to straighten a blade is just as it's coming out of the quench? Of course, use gloves, but it seems like my blades are sorta on the "limber" side as the first come out. I've not worked with carbon steels in a good while, so maybe not for them.

Other than that, as other's have said, as soon as it's time for temper, clamp to a straight edge, and perhaps a shim. You can do that several times until it's where you want it.

Ken H>
 
I'd shim it. I've never had one straighten during temper without a shim.
 
When I deal with this I clamp the blade down to something flat, with a shim under the warp, so it's forced beyond straight. Then put in for the second temper. When you take the clamps off, it will be straight or closer to straight. If it's not completely straight, shim it further and do a third temper.
 
Depends how much it's warped, how sharply it's warped. I usually start with a piece of .045 weld wire. I've gone as far as .125 diameter rod. It isn't an exact science.
 
Blades are Very easy to straighten right out of the quench, you have about one minute to do it.
After that you can easily straighten by clamping during the temper.
 
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