Testing Brownell's Tough-Quench -

R

rlinger

Joined
Mar 29, 2002
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Bruce Bump recently highly recommended Brownell's Tough-Quench to me and Mete has been on all us at times as the subject arrises to get the right tools for the job. I got my shipment from Brownell's today and am doing some testing. Here is what I have so far:

A bar of O1 1/8 by 1 1/4 1475 F. / 5 min.
Quench to hand warm - 66 HRc
Temper 400 F / 1 hr. - 62 HRc

Before you go saying that boy's tester is off; I reference my testers to two calibrated test blocks (45 and 62 HRc) for accuracy and linearity. They are both.

After I finish tempering again at 400 F I will post that Rc.

RL
 
I agree that Brownells Tough quench is a excellent quenching agent. It has been my experience that it works better if heated to 130 degrees F. The directions with the tough quench say not to heat it, but It was recomended to me to heat it before quenching and my experience shows it is a good idea. I used Tough Quench for my ABS Journeymans test blade and the blade easily passed all the tests.
 
I'm sure Craig Camerer will chime in here with his opinion, but I'm gonna beat him to it. :)

Craig switched from peanut oil to Brownell's Tough Quench a little while ago, and we've both seen a noticeable improvement. Works great on the 1084, and Craig's W2 blades quenched in the Tough Quench are an improvement over the 1084 blades.
 
Danbo,

I almost always never bother to read those little phylisophical blurbs under the signatures but for some reason I was directed to yours. I too have often wondered about that and upon reading yours it suddenly dawned upon me: They don't get in there dead. They are alive getting in and die aftewards :D :D :D :D :D :D :D Hey I'm from West Virginia. I'm allowed :D

RL
 
The hardness is coming down one point per hour of tempering. Id be curious if it went back up at all if it were cryoed right now?
 
After two 1 hour tempers it probably would enough to be noticable but for practical purposes (if it were a real blade) it is too late. The best results for transformation are to cryo immediately upon assuming room temperature after quench but the optimum would be to snap it first so as to stabilize before acheiving so much un-tempered martensite.

It is very simple for me to take it down to the dungeon and cryo it just for curiousity. I think I will , since you ask about that.

BUT I believe I understand your thoughts to be the quench may have been so well that a cryo is not essential. I intend to HT again and cryo as I normally would (after a snap temper) but for kicks I just put this double tempered test piece in cryo anyhow.

BTW, where is my Instructor and school Master Mete?? He seems to be scarce these days.

RL
 
I was just curious to see if you could squeek any more hardness out of it. Maybe it will just be stress relieved like they do on gun barrels long after the gun is built. I wanted to see what effect a cryo will have at this stage just for my own pea brain. I dunno? Im glad you are doing it my friend.
 
very interesting....Roger. Keep us posted.
 
Bruce,

It did NOT noticably change the hardness at all. It is still 61 HRc. I want now to quench and snap temper/test and cryo/test.

RL
 
Here is the next sample (so far):

Quench: Tough-Quench
Snap temper: 300 F / 1 hour - 64 HRc

It is cryo now

RL
 
OK so now I know. Keep us imformed of the next one. I wish you were doing 1080 1084 and 15n20 instead of 01 because I never use o1.

I want to buy your notes someday.
 
Roger, I haven't been following this real close because of lack of time. Wonder what the results would be if you did 2 or 3 different quenching agents following the same procedure?
 
I have been using the Tough Quench for about a year now. I love it. I have been using it for W2, 1084, and 1080. It has given me consistent results each and every time. By the way I also heat mine to 130 degrees prior to quenching.
 
Come on guys.

Jason thanks, I don't have any of the 10XX series here. Put me in a couple inches when you send that next blade (tomorrow? :) ).

RL
 
Never mind Jason and thanks for the offer. I just found a small scrap piece of 1084 / 15N20.

Bruce, I have a scrap piece of your damascus here. It is just large enough to Rockwell.

Bruce, the coconut oil requires a belly dance I have not yet learned.

RL
 
Roger
Would you please explain the term "snap temper".
I don't recall ever hearing tempering refered to as such in any of the threads.
It is always so nice to see every ones trial and errors written about to help the up and coming makers. Not every group of craftsmen are as friendly as the knife makers seem to be.
Pete
 
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