Tempering or softening 440C

clemsonreeder

clemsonreeder

Joined
Sep 25, 2007
Messages
176
I just had a 440C blade heat treated and cryo'd by TKS. I did not think ahead about putting additional holes in the tang to lighten it up a bit. Is it possible to soften the tang up some by heating it similar to the way I would do it for 1095, like keep the blade submerged and play a torch on it? If not, I have some carbide bits ready to go if necessary.
 
It's easy to screw up a 440C heat treat with only a little overheating - but not enough to drill it. It would have to be annealed - a long slow computer controlled process and then re-heat treated after drilling - or drilled with carbide bits as you suggest. ... or you could taper the tang.....

Rob!

Dang Justin. I just read your tag line line. Shoulda kept my mouth shut! :rolleyes:
 
Well, I kept the blade submerged and heated the tang up with the torch (>1000F) and it worked just fine. I drilled right through with some cobalt bits that wouldn't even dent it before. And of course I did this last night before you posted your response. I probably wouldn't have tried it otherwise. I'm not gonna go home and find the knife mysteriously shattered or something am I? What's the worst I could have done?
 
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youll probably be fine, IMO if you had not had Cobalt bits you would have been in a pickle though.
Chris
 
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