What is aging process?

[Alarion]

I often hear about aged steels, such as cobalt steels. IIn a recent post on another of the forums I read that cobalt steels derive their hardness through aging. What's this process? Does it mean steel is left to get well seasoned as a good salami?
I guess not So, what's aging of steels?

 

[Matt Shade]

I'm not sure but I don't think that its age hardened. We joked around about that same thing for talonite way back when all the guys here were just starting to try it. If I remember right, it had to be put in a kiln with a reducing atmosphere or something like that. Cobalt is similar, in the carbide matrix and all that so maybe its the same way.