the hero breaks his blade AGAIN!!!!!!! GAHHHH

In Japan swordsmiths close all doors and cover the windows to make it as dark as possible so they can more accurately judge the color. They also move the blade in and out of the forge to get an even heat (which is VERY important) as well as to check the color. Once the correct color is reached, they make a very fast move to the quenching trough, where they dip the blade and pray they don't hear/feel a "ping"...The blade is left in the water tank for a minute or two, then removed and examined...

The traditional steel used by smiths in Japan is called tamahagane; the best is nearly pure iron/carbon with very slight trace impurities....the tamahagane available to smiths in Japan today is said to be greatly inferior to that produced in the past.
 
JDM61,
you said that you temper at 460 two or three times. who long? is that for an hour and then slowly cool or what?

Sunfishman,
Mentioned that you judege by color, i put a thin layer of clay over the entire blade, so it kinda masks the color, should i not put clay on the whole thing? or what is best? i thought that you used water to get such active hamons on your knives, but i will get some of the oil you mentioned. how much of it should i get?

as for hardening in the morning, i am actually more scattered brained in the moring and more methodical and careful at night. plus i feel like i can take my time.

i actually saw some tamahagane and a description of it on Walter Sorrell's webpage. here:http://www.waltersorrells.com/blades/new.htm it looks awesome!

thanks for the help!
~chris
 
Chris, It's not a secret, I have been using oil to get very active hamon. I quenched a couple blades in water a few years ago and both cracked, I may have been a little too hot back then also. Water works for some but I'm happy with the results I get with oil. My quench tank holds 5 gallons but you could get by with two or three. The thin coat of clay makes it much harder to judge temp. I don't do that.
 
well, you learn something new everyday. i was just guessing about the water thing. do you know where i can get some of this oil? it almost sounds as good as snake oil...*grins* but i doubt it is sculduggery
~Chris
 
Knifemaker87 said:
JDM61,
you said that you temper at 460 two or three times. who long? is that for an hour and then slowly cool or what?

Sunfishman,
Mentioned that you judege by color, i put a thin layer of clay over the entire blade, so it kinda masks the color, should i not put clay on the whole thing? or what is best? i thought that you used water to get such active hamons on your knives, but i will get some of the oil you mentioned. how much of it should i get?

as for hardening in the morning, i am actually more scattered brained in the moring and more methodical and careful at night. plus i feel like i can take my time.

i actually saw some tamahagane and a description of it on Walter Sorrell's webpage. here:http://www.waltersorrells.com/blades/new.htm it looks awesome!

thanks for the help!
~chris
Click to expand...
one hour each time and then to the freezer.....not so much for any effect, but so that i can handle it quickly. I have taken it straight ot the vice after temper one if i need to straighten something. Personally, I would rely on dvice from Mssrs. Hanson or Cashen rather than me....lol
 
I got my Park's #50 from Heatbath a couple years ago, it's not a magic oil, my old oil worked just as good. It was a fast oil but I don remember what it was. Ellis knife works is fixing to start selling the Park's stuff soon. MacMaster Car as a fast oil as does K&G supplies. Karl B. Anderson kbaknife@hotmail.com had offered to make it available also.
 
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