Hello everyone.
My question isn't about a knife, but rather a carving tool. I hope that's still with the purvey of the forum. I figured since my question does involve a cutting edge, a blademaker's forum would have extensive knowledge about various alloys. Hopefully this is the appropriate sub-forum as well.
I would like to make a specific Korean style carving tool for carving in clay. Previous experience has taught me that clay tends to wear out cutting edges rather quickly, so I thought I'd research some better choices for abrasion resistance.
The tool will basically be strip of 18 ga. steel about 1/4" to 1/2" in width. One end will be ground to a fine v-point, and beveled on all four edges. The point is then bent over into a small u-hook.
I do have one source here, which suggests using "spring steel", which he later comments does wear out and has to be reground at regular intervals. However, I don't think author has much knowledge of steels or hardening and tempering, so I started wondering about options for alloys.
To give you an idea of the size, you can see some images of the tool in action in this video around the 0:10 second mark, and a closer look at about 0:26. and 1:17.
Do you have suggestions for alloys that would offer good abrasion resistance on such a small point. I still expect to have to grind new points from time to time, and I'll have to anneal, harden, and re-temper multiple times as it wears down.
I started looking at D2 tool steel, but it seems it requires some special treatment to avoid decarbonizing while hardening, so that would be a more involved process.
I'm looking for alloy suggestions which would provide a good balance abrasion resistance and edge retention, but still being relatively easy to harden and temper.
I have only very basic familiarity with annealing and heat-treating tools, limited to simpler direct heat and quench techniques.
I presume by 'spring steel', he's referring to something like a 1095 alloy. Does anybody have a better suggestion for my needs, or is that as good as any?
Is hardening and tempering even going to be practical on such a fine, thin point?
Perhaps I'm better off just avoiding the heat treatment, and just going with a flexible enough allow I can grind and cold-bend?
Thanks for your advice in advance.
My question isn't about a knife, but rather a carving tool. I hope that's still with the purvey of the forum. I figured since my question does involve a cutting edge, a blademaker's forum would have extensive knowledge about various alloys. Hopefully this is the appropriate sub-forum as well.
I would like to make a specific Korean style carving tool for carving in clay. Previous experience has taught me that clay tends to wear out cutting edges rather quickly, so I thought I'd research some better choices for abrasion resistance.
The tool will basically be strip of 18 ga. steel about 1/4" to 1/2" in width. One end will be ground to a fine v-point, and beveled on all four edges. The point is then bent over into a small u-hook.
I do have one source here, which suggests using "spring steel", which he later comments does wear out and has to be reground at regular intervals. However, I don't think author has much knowledge of steels or hardening and tempering, so I started wondering about options for alloys.
To give you an idea of the size, you can see some images of the tool in action in this video around the 0:10 second mark, and a closer look at about 0:26. and 1:17.
Do you have suggestions for alloys that would offer good abrasion resistance on such a small point. I still expect to have to grind new points from time to time, and I'll have to anneal, harden, and re-temper multiple times as it wears down.
I started looking at D2 tool steel, but it seems it requires some special treatment to avoid decarbonizing while hardening, so that would be a more involved process.
I'm looking for alloy suggestions which would provide a good balance abrasion resistance and edge retention, but still being relatively easy to harden and temper.
I have only very basic familiarity with annealing and heat-treating tools, limited to simpler direct heat and quench techniques.
I presume by 'spring steel', he's referring to something like a 1095 alloy. Does anybody have a better suggestion for my needs, or is that as good as any?
Is hardening and tempering even going to be practical on such a fine, thin point?
Perhaps I'm better off just avoiding the heat treatment, and just going with a flexible enough allow I can grind and cold-bend?
Thanks for your advice in advance.
