W2 and parks 50 questions

jim moyer

jim moyer

Joined
Dec 8, 2005
Messages
1,158
What temp should the Parks 50 be when quenching the W2 and or the 1095. Thanks in advance, Jim
 
I use Park's 50 at room temp and only heat it a bit in the winter.

Recommended temp between 70 and 120f for the #50.
 
I haven't used it with Don's W2 yet (excitedly waiting on it to be reduced), but I also use the #50 at 70-100 degrees.

--nathan
 
I heat it to 140F, but I'd have to scrounge to find the reference that leads me to do that. I have no empirical data to justify that.
 
Parks list the operating temp of #50 at 70-120F like Don said. That is lower than other quenchants. The only time that I ever have to heat my oil here is Florida is in January or February.
 
Why use oil with w2 or 1095? there is a guy down the road from you who does those two steels in water.
 
Because a properly formulated oil like Park's #50 will cool the steel fast enough for full hardening without the stress of a water quench. You can do a water or brine quench with W2 or 1095, and it will definitely work, but you'll have an increased risk of failure (i.e. "PING!!!").

--nathan
 
I watched Bill Burke do i believe 6 Blades in water includeing a Sword and I don't remember a single failure out of w2 or 1095. I have some pictures i will try to post later.
 
Gabe, save yourself a step and try P-50 at room temp. Works great.

Erik, those that want to use water, I tell em to go for it :thumbup: :)
It works, just takes lots of practice.
 
bladesmith told me that for 1095 that parks 50# should be 125 to 135. so i do what he says with great results .
vern
( know you all got me wondering.)
 
Don Hanson III said:
Gabe, save yourself a step and try P-50 at room temp. Works great.

Erik, those that want to use water, I tell em to go for it :thumbup: :)
It works, just takes lots of practice.
Click to expand...

Don, maybe not lots of practice but not a lot of brains.:confused: But the activity line of the Hamon is very cool and for me at least it is worth the risk. Now I just gotta figure out how to maximize it in the polish and take a good picture of it.:jerkit:
 
Erik Fritz said:
I watched Bill Burke do i believe 6 Blades in water includeing a Sword and I don't remember a single failure out of w2 or 1095. I have some pictures i will try to post later.
Click to expand...

Yep, Burke did two of my blades in water and they came out perfect. I did one in water and destroyed the blade. I just saw the 1095 sword an hour ago and was again perfect.

The reason I brought the question up is I did three blades in parks and with a controlled temp with a 5 minute soak at 1450. The hamon was there until I ground the blades down to a 600 finish and no hamon is showing. Burke suggested a higher temp.

Will try again in the morning.

Thanks everyone
 
Bill Burke said:
Don, maybe not lots of practice but not a lot of brains.:confused: But the activity line of the Hamon is very cool and for me at least it is worth the risk. Now I just gotta figure out how to maximize it in the polish and take a good picture of it.:jerkit:
Click to expand...

No Bill, you're just doin everything right, for a water quench :thumbup:

I like the smell of burning oil myself :D
 
jim moyer said:
The reason I brought the question up is I did three blades in parks and with a controlled temp with a 5 minute soak at 1450. The hamon was there until I ground the blades down to a 600 finish and no hamon is showing. Burke suggested a higher temp.

Will try again in the morning.

Thanks everyone
Click to expand...

Jim, if you're using an electric oven @ 1450f, you need to soak for 15 - 20 minutes. And use less clay.
 
Its funny how you can have very different opinions about water/brine vs.#50. The guys who can get #50 and yet use water/brine like the results they get. On the other hand, some of my friends in the Netherlands who had to use water/brine because they couldn't get super fast oil bitched and moaned about it to no end. Different strokes, eh?:D
 
I use W2 almost exclusively, and quench in Parks 50.
I preheat the oil to 90-100F, but only because my shop
isn't heated (except by the forge), and preheating allows
me to maintain consistency from summer to winter.

For those who use water......don't quench to room temp...
learn to pull the blade just before boiling stops, air cool to
125-100f, and temper immediately.
 
Russ Andrews said:
I use W2 almost exclusively, and quench in Parks 50.
I preheat the oil to 90-100F, but only because my shop
isn't heated (except by the forge), and preheating allows
me to maintain consistency from summer to winter.

For those who use water......don't quench to room temp...
learn to pull the blade just before boiling stops, air cool to
125-100f, and temper immediately.
Click to expand...

Russ, I go from the forge straight into the water and hold it there until it is the same temp as the water. BUT this only works when the spine stays below critical. I have tried this same technique with blades that have been austinized in an oven and broken everyone that I tried and varying temp from 1425 to 1550 didn't help. When asked about this Don Fogg suggested that I imerse the blade until the tip either quit dropping or had just started to raise and then remove the blade from the water and let it finish in air, which is pretty much what you outlined above. I haven't tried this yet but intend to in the near future. One more thing I have found is that the closer I can hold the portion of the blade l want to harden to critical the closer the hamon will follow the clay and the better the effect of the ashi on the hamon.
 
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