Two brick kiln

[dalr753]

Excuse but could anyone tell me if they have had good experience with two brick kilns, and do you think you could heat treat a 9inch blade in one?

 

[thegeek574]

There is no way to accurately heat treat any 9 inch blade in a makeshift forge. You either have to send it out for HT, or you have to build a forge. If we were talking about a 3 inch blade, then I would say that you could do it with a 2 brick forge, but a 9 inch blade just isn't going to happen. If you haven't already bought steel, then get some A2 and then send it to texas knifemaker supply for HT. it will be less expensive than your forge of any kind, and will do a better job on a blade that size than anything you can do with non-advanced tools.

 

[Brian Ayres]

I made a 2 brick forge this way.

Materials; 2 bricks, some 3/8" allthread rod, slotted uni-strut, 3/8" nuts, 3/8" fender washers.

****Note, I tested this with my MAPP gas torch from my work truck, I DO NOT recommend using a torch directly attached to a gas tank. Buy a torch with a hose and set the tank back from your forge.****

I used my Acetylene B tank and it provided good heat.

Stack the bricks and place strut above and below the bricks. Slide the rod through the slots on one side. the other side will need a 1/4" groove carved in the side as the slots don't line up perfectly. Bolt it all together. Then, I took a 2-1/8" drill bit and drilled to 1" from the back. I added a hole for the torch 1/2 way back on a tangent like a 6 on it's side.

My experience. It worked good for forging. Not as well for heat threat. It was easy to overheat the blade edge and tip. If I did it over, I would drill the torch hole back farther, 2/3's back or so.

I think a freon tank forge would be a much better choice. Buy some refractory cement from Hightemptools, or Wayne Coe, and look up a few tutorials on forge building. You'll be happier in the long run.

Maybe people who have done it can speak better than me, but, I'd guess heat treating a 9" blade(hopefully 1084) would be MUCH easier with an Oxy/Ace torch and a magnet.

If you use a brick forge, be sure to rotate your blade and avoid overheating. I had extra bricks, so I stacked bricks in front of my forge to help it heat up better.

I gave away my 2 bricker, and made a real forge. This is it before it was finished. It's 8" in diameter and 22" long.

 

[DanCo]

dalr,
I would recommend you go to the American Bladesmith Society webpage and look under members. They have all the journeysmiths and mastersmiths listed and their location. If you can find one nearby (I looked where you are at with google and nearby I guess is relative), click on their name and it gives contact info. See if you can go by and visit them. So far I have not had one say no, and they are a wealth of info. I love Bladeforums, but the info I got in person was probably the best i could have received. It may not seem practical at this time, but if you are serious about making knives, it will be one of the best investments you will make.
Good luck,
Daniel Combs

 

[aarongb]

I made a 2-brick and did my first run last night. I carved a bottle shaped channel in two bricks, torch hole 1/3 from the closed end, stacked and wired them together. I used a MAPP torch and tempilstiks to check the temps on my steel. At first it was hard to get the steel evenly heated, but I adjusted the torch a bit and it was fairly easy to get up to the right heat and keeping it there.

I think its worth trying. I know I want something better very soon, but this works better than I expected.