W2 heat treating results

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Gotcha. Then it must just be very shallow hardening. Must need water to get full hardness at the lower austentizing temps!
 
For what its worth a couple years ago I was having the exact soft spot results mentioned here. I was contacted privately by a few having the same results, but were afraid to speak out. I sent coupons to 4 other makers who were never able to get it to harden completely. Spots could be filed like brass almost. I think this soft spot issue has been around for a while. My steel was purchased may of 2016.
 
Robert Erickson said:
I had a chance to heat treat a few more coupons with the high temp normalization/triple thermal cycle protocol.
I did one coupon at 1525/quench in P50 and got 69,70,69!
The other at 1550/quench in P50 went back down to 64,63,62.
Thanks Willie71 Willie71 for the suggestion.

It looks like my protocol for this batch of W2 is now going to be:
2000 X 10 min air cool
1500 X 10 min air cool X 3
Aus 1525 X 10 min -> quench in P50.
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So would you say the issue is resolved?
 
Ryan Minchew said:
For what its worth a couple years ago I was having the exact soft spot results mentioned here. I was contacted privately by a few having the same results, but were afraid to speak out. I sent coupons to 4 other makers who were never able to get it to harden completely. Spots could be filed like brass almost. I think this soft spot issue has been around for a while. My steel was purchased may of 2016.
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Did they either forge first or do high temp normalization by chance?

valknut said:
So would you say the issue is resolved?
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I wouldn't say the limited work I've done puts the issue to rest but I'm more comfortable. I will still do more testing.
 
Robert, I was one (among others) who had the soft spot issue. I'm stock removal only, so no forging or "high temp" normalizing was done. Just the industry standard 1650°F (20 minutes) and even 1700°F (20 minutes), then a few cycles around 1500°F.
 
kuraki said:
Don't get too comfortable.
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samuraistuart said:
Robert, I was one (among others) who had the soft spot issue. I'm stock removal only, so no forging or "high temp" normalizing was done. Just the industry standard 1650°F (20 minutes) and even 1700°F (20 minutes), then a few cycles around 1500°F.
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DevinT said:
Did anyone etch the stuff with soft spots to see if it showed up?

Hoss
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Hey John, Stuart and Hoss thanks for chiming in.
Any idea what these spots are? Low carbon areas? If so would the higher heat distribute it?
 
Would the soft spots be caused too coarse spheroid condition? Would the condition be so extreme that it takes a 2000° cycle/forging to start breaking it up? Then it requiring higher austinize temps?
 
Kentucky said:
Would the soft spots be caused too coarse spheroid condition? Would the condition be so extreme that it takes a 2000° cycle/forging to start breaking it up? Then it requiring higher austinize temps?
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The higher aust temps are directly related to the lack of carbon. As carbon content goes up, aust temp goes gown. In simple steels without chromium or nickel, you can get close to identifying carbon content from running a series of coupons and finding the temp with max hardness.
 
Willie71 said:
The higher aust temps are directly related to the lack of carbon. As carbon content goes up, aust temp goes gown. In simple steels without chromium or nickel, you can get close to identifying carbon content from running a series of coupons and finding the temp with max hardness.
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I didn’t know it was that lacking in carbon? I was aware of other problems but not that. Least I don’t remember it? I would have understood that part of the problem had I known :thumbsup:
 
valknut said:
So would you say the issue is resolved?
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Apparently a number of guys have tried a variety of things with this steel and there can still be soft spots even with high temp normalization. It sucks because I love it the hamon it produces. Looks like I’ll be using more 52100. Maybe try some of Kelly Cupples stuff.
 
Yesterday, I received 4 bars of Aldo 3/32" W2. WIP to turn 1 bar into 19 test strips and 2 test blades. They will have same ht sequence piggy back alongside with Aldo previous batch 1/8" W2, expect peak hardness is 66-67.5rc when hardening with aust temp 1435F- 1450F ~12 minutes soak.

If new w2 peak hrc failed to reach clean 66+rc while the former w2 batch hrc exceed 66rc, definitely I will cut my losses by suspend/mothball the other 3 bars of new w2. Hopefully new W2 test strips turned out, so I can 3 points bend test them at 64-67 hrc. fyi - bend test includes 52100 (aldo & aks) and O1 (aks).
 
I talked to Edward Braun, he said it could be temp inconsistency, too much clay, or over annealed from the mill. He suggested higher normalization cycles.
 
bluntcut said:
Yesterday, I received 4 bars of Aldo 3/32" W2. WIP to turn 1 bar into 19 test strips and 2 test blades. They will have same ht sequence piggy back alongside with Aldo previous batch 1/8" W2, expect peak hardness is 66-67.5rc when hardening with aust temp 1435F- 1450F ~12 minutes soak.

If new w2 peak hrc failed to reach clean 66+rc while the former w2 batch hrc exceed 66rc, definitely I will cut my losses by suspend/mothball the other 3 bars of new w2. Hopefully new W2 test strips turned out, so I can 3 points bend test them at 64-67 hrc. fyi - bend test includes 52100 (aldo & aks) and O1 (aks).
Click to expand...
Will be good to do a control like that, look forward to your results.
 
Kentucky said:
I didn’t know it was that lacking in carbon? I was aware of other problems but not that. Least I don’t remember it? I would have understood that part of the problem had I known :thumbsup:
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Someone had it tested after Aldo told them it was user error. Carbon is from approx 0.75 to 0.85%, and inconsistent. I don’t remember the exact numbers, but it’s basically low manganese 1075/1080.
 
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