Tempilstiks are corrosive?

Bühlmann

Bühlmann

North Lake Forge
Joined
Jan 6, 2022
Messages
475
Total newb question, but I want to make sure that I’m not doing something wrong. I bought a few Tempilstiks in various temperatures to help me identify forge temperatures & whatnot. This is a blade I’m working on post-HT that I used a Tempilstik on after a little 120 grit hand sanding:

34F784DB-A4BA-4F23-90DA-AD2A551A1156.jpeg

Notice the pitting where I used the ‘stiks. Is this normal?

Here is a pic of the opposite side where no Tempilstik was used and no sanding has been done:

22548DD3-9530-4E42-AF50-02C41887203E.jpeg

You can see in the 2nd pic where some melted ‘stik juice from the other surface ran over the edge and followed underside of the bevel on this side a bit. Kinda disappointing.
 
What kind of steel? I’ve used tempilstiks on a few hundred blades and not seen this problem
 
How much did you use? It looks like you colored the whole surface with it...

I've never used them, so I don't have any direct experience with them, but I think you're just supposed to draw a little line.

They're more to verify a temp than to monitor a knife in the forge...
 
I’m aware their applications and how to properly use them. I’ve used them for years in the field for welding pre- and post-heat treat applications, but never cared or paid attention to the residual surface condition of the pipe. This one is new to me, so curious to see if anyone else has had a similar experience.
 
Similar experience.
Just to see how they worked, I put tempilstik on some 309 stainless foil in the kiln at about 1600F. On removal, the foil was nearly dissolved at the spot where the tempilstik was - a light touch broke through the foil.
I decided to not use it again after that experiment.
 
I had to special order a couple in the temps I wanted.
Canadian, fees, import, shipping, easily double your typical USA cost.

I left them in a tool chest drawer over the winter.

They froze, crumbled to dust
Where the stick remenants contacted the powder coat / paint it blistered,bubbled and ate through the paint, rusted the steel.
 
HSC /// said:
What kind of steel? I’ve used tempilstiks on a few hundred blades and not seen this problem
Click to expand...
Now I’m really curious what the differences are between what your use & conditions are vs. what mine is to get a different result.

I just fired an inquiry over to Markal to see if they have any input. Hopefully there’s a conditional variable I can change to prevent that from happening.
 
Last edited:
So here is the reply from Markal to my inquiry:

Many of the Tempilstiks in that temperature range contain substances that are known to contribute to corrosion, such as chlorides and sulfur. Unfortunately, these are part of the formulation and are needed to achieve the appropriate melt temperature. We do not have a specific recommendation, but removing the Tempilstik from the steel and thoroughly cleaning the area immediately after use may help.

Best regards,



Technical Support Team (dd)

LA-CO Industries, Inc.

Phone: 847.956.7600 x204 | tech_support@laco.com

1201 Pratt Blvd. | Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 | United States


Glad to know this, and I hope it helps somebody else out. Would be cool if they'd state that on the product info, but I understand that their primary market is industrial and not necessarily concerned with a little chemical surface etching. I'd still like to know how HSC/// gets away with it, though. Any input?
 
Tuhlmann said:
So here is the reply from Markal to my inquiry:

Many of the Tempilstiks in that temperature range contain substances that are known to contribute to corrosion, such as chlorides and sulfur. Unfortunately, these are part of the formulation and are needed to achieve the appropriate melt temperature. We do not have a specific recommendation, but removing the Tempilstik from the steel and thoroughly cleaning the area immediately after use may help.

Best regards,



Technical Support Team (dd)

LA-CO Industries, Inc.

Phone: 847.956.7600 x204 | tech_support@laco.com

1201 Pratt Blvd. | Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 | United States


Glad to know this, and I hope it helps somebody else out. Would be cool if they'd state that on the product info, but I understand that their primary market is industrial and not necessarily concerned with a little chemical surface etching. I'd still like to know how HSC/// gets away with it, though. Any input?
Click to expand...
I should have been more specific

I use a 350 F tempilstk mail when I flash temper. The blade is coated with a thin slip coating
I mark the blade with the pen and I’ve never had any problems.

Perhaps u could try atp 641 coating on your blades
 
I’ll consider a coating if I continue to use them. I’m guessing the lower temp ‘stiks don’t have the corrosive elements required for the higher temp ones, though.
 
I used some graphite dry lube to reduce the scale on blades when I heat treated them. I wonder about putting that on the blade before the TempilStik?
 
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