Warping after the quench

Atlas Knife Company

Atlas Knife Company

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Feb 16, 2010
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I just got done HT'ing my first blade. A small folder out of s30v. HT 1650° for 20 minutes then 1950° for 20 minutes, then between 1" quench plates for 2 minutes. It came out nice and straight, I was overjoyed! Now, after buffing off some of the discoloration on the surface, it is warped. Not a lot, but enough that I can see it if I look straight down the blade. I haven't tempered yet. Should I temper, or anneal and re-HT?
 
Don't warp after quench , temper after quench !!! Temper immediately after quench .
 
I am kinda having the same problem, I went right to cryo immediately after the quench, and they came out of cryo warped. I thought it was cause I did not get equal coverage when I first put the blade in the dry ice, so I did another the very next day. Same problem. I am using CPM154, plate quench. I stand my blades up vertical in the kiln on a piece of firebrick.

Just a heads up re annealing the S30V will take a long time with the kiln on. if I did my math right it takes 22hrs alone to go from 1650 to 1100 @ 25deg per hour before furnace cooling. I did stay at home when they taught simple math in school so my division might be off.:D
 
I can't answer that question. I just put the stainless aside and switched to O-1 this week plate quenching 3/32 stock. After I get my prob figgered out I am going back to the 154.
 
When I do CPM 154 I profile, surface grind, and drill. I grind the bevels in after HT. That way if I get a little warpage I can fix it through grinding. I found I got a lot of warpage that was unfixable if I ground in the bevels pre-HT.
 
I know that with simple carbon steels you can clamp the warped blade straight and it will keep it's shape after a tempering cycle. I clamp it to a straight piece of 1/4" mild steel and put the whole thing into the temper oven... works every time!

I don't know about your fancy schmancy stainless steels...

Rick
 
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I'll try that. Tempering s30v requires two treatments of 2 hours at 400-750. That's a big range. How long should I cool between treatments?
 
zaph1 said:
I'll try that. Tempering s30v requires two treatments of 2 hours at 400-750. That's a big range. How long should I cool between treatments?
Click to expand...

Just one opinion. If it's comfortable in the hand (just a touch warm) its ready for the next temper..

Rob!

By the way, super steels aren't about easy heat treatment - they are about spectacular performance given the right heat treatment. Check out my tagline below. ;)
 
True, very true. I don't think you could properly HT s30v without a digitally controlled oven. Well, you probably could, but you would ruin alot trying.
 
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