Tanto -- no harmon line.

[Burchtree]

Made an "Americanized Tanto" with an thin hollow-ground blade. Been trying to get a good solid line, but to no avail. the other blades I've done have been great, but for some reason, this blade is extremely stubborn. I've heat-treated it a few times (with a normalizing treatment between each time.)

At first, I clay-coated the back spine with furnace cement. I heated it up and edged-quenched in ATF. The clay was just to control the hardening line in my quench. Got a low line, but the line on the tip didn't curve up like I wanted.

Did it again with same materials, but with same results.

Last night, I tried something new -- I switched to Canola oil. I only coated the clay on both sides of the spine, but left the back of the spine clay-free. I started heating spine-down to ensure that the spine was getting plenty of heat. Once again I edge-quenched, till the red was gone, then did a full submersion.

The oil was at about 140 degrees, and edge quench in a cheap cake pan, and fully quench in an ammo can.

The steel is 0-1. Any suggestions? I'd like a crisp line for this stubborn knife.

 

[Danbo]

I'm sure that some others will respond with ways to achieve your visible Hamon, but I am going to relay the info that was passed on to me by Kevin Cashen, an ABS Mastersmith, as well as several others.

If you are trying to get a really nice, highly visible temper line/hamon, you are probably using the wrong steel. O1 was developed to get fully hard, really easily. Using a more simple steel would be a better avenue of approach. Try using 1084, W1, or W2, and I'm sure that elusive hamon will surface.

 

[Burchtree]

On a few others of 0-1, I've found that I can achieve a good edge treat but this one is kicking my behind.

 

[ddavelarsen]

Michael I think you'll find the hamon virtually impossible with O1. You will be able to see the temper line in the steel in the right light (the hardened part will be more shiny than the soft) but you still won't get a hamon. Try 1095 and etch lightly.

Good luck!

Dave

 

[D. Halter]

I've got a misty line visible on O1 using a claycoat and quenching in heated mineral oil...but to call it a crisp hamon would be stretching it! Ron Leuschen of Little Hen Knives has posted pics of lots of O1 knives he's done with pretty visible temper lines. You might give him a holler. I get best results using W1...water quench gives a curve pluse a hamon, oil quench will give the hamon without curving.