- Joined
- Mar 6, 2017
- Messages
- 72
So I'm getting ready to heat treat my second knife. It's in 1084 from Aldo. When looking for information regarding tempering, I see quite a bit of variance. Most people I've seen recommend right at 400 degrees F but the amount of time and number of cycles is all over the place. some say 2 cycles of 2 hours each some say 3 cycles at 1 hour each some say just one cycle at 2 hours. so because I am a newbie, I really want to understand what is going on with this tempering process. I understand what tempering does just not the relationship between temperature and number of times and cycles. Is the temperature the only thing that really matters? Is a 1 hour temper at 400 degrees the same as a 4 hour temper at 100 degrees?
Cashen has this chart in the link below but doesn't mention how many cycles to get that RC. He does mention how many cycles; he does at 400 degrees in his other link.
400 degrees F is roughly RC 60-61 and 650 degrees F is about 50RC. Does that mean that only the temperature is what will get me to a set RC or would the number of tempers also get there? If I tempered at 400 for 10 cycles, would that also get me to a lower RC like 50? Even further, lets say I tempered a blade 100 times at the same temperature every time, what would be the affect? Would there be a point where changes stop happening altogether or would each successive temper have an effect?
I hope I'm making sense in what I am asking. I would love to hear the vast knowledge you all have to help better understand. Thanks
http://www.knivesby.com/knifemaking-Kevin-Cashen-treating-1084.html
http://www.cashenblades.com/steel/1084.html
Cashen has this chart in the link below but doesn't mention how many cycles to get that RC. He does mention how many cycles; he does at 400 degrees in his other link.
400 degrees F is roughly RC 60-61 and 650 degrees F is about 50RC. Does that mean that only the temperature is what will get me to a set RC or would the number of tempers also get there? If I tempered at 400 for 10 cycles, would that also get me to a lower RC like 50? Even further, lets say I tempered a blade 100 times at the same temperature every time, what would be the affect? Would there be a point where changes stop happening altogether or would each successive temper have an effect?
I hope I'm making sense in what I am asking. I would love to hear the vast knowledge you all have to help better understand. Thanks
http://www.knivesby.com/knifemaking-Kevin-Cashen-treating-1084.html
http://www.cashenblades.com/steel/1084.html