Will charcoal get steel hot enuf for HT?

When I made a few knives over the summer they had 2 inch blades and it was no problem using two propane torches to get the edges hot enough for a differential quench. I am interested in doing a couple longer, wider blades for kitchen knives, and I don't want to have to juggle four or five propane torches, so I was thinking (dangerous) if my charcoal grill could get the knives hot enough to get to critical temp? I know the flames wouldn't be nearly hot enough, but after the coals have been cooking for a while they get pretty hot in the center. Could I stick the blade into the pile of coals and get it to non-magnetic that way or would it still not be hot enough?

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Yes. But I'm no expert. Check out this link for additional (read: real
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) information:
http://www.customknifedirectory.com/cgi-bin/UltraBoard/UltraBoard.cgi

Select the Neotribal forum.

I gather that you will need to force air into the coals to achieve that kind of heat and that charcoal briquets are not recommended.

Good luck!
Mike
 
Osbourn

Osbourn

Joined
Jun 27, 1999
Messages
804
I've used briquettes, and they do work, but they, to use a clinical, professional term, really suck. Lots of clinker and wierd ash, along with sometimes higher chances of imparting impurities. If it's your only option, I'd say get a hair dryer for forced air and keep the blade moving within the coals to get a nice even heat. Getting the temps isn't the problem, it's getting them even that's a pain.

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Oz

"I went to one of those so-called 'All you can eat' buffets last night, and I'm on to their little game.
They stop filling up the thousand island bucket after you empty it three or four times."
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
ANother option is to use a MAPP Gas torch. I recently heat-treated a 5" blade of 1/8" stock 1 1/2" wide with one at 8,000 ft (less oxygen so probably cooler flame). The critical part seemed to get a tip that was NOT a point flame for soldering but a tip designed for heating. I used a "swirl" tip.
Davy
 
Chiro, get some real charcoal, the briquetts use a clay filler and a glue binder.
Chunk charcoal or natural is getting easier to find in the stores,or you can make your own.

For a charcoal fire you want it deep and a "gentle" air source. A piece of 1 1/2" or 2" black iron pipe with 1/4" holes spaced 1" apart should do for the tuyre, cap one end and rig up a hair dryer to the other end.
To make a temporary deep fire in the grill you could use some bricks, fire brick is better.

There is a link on the Neo Tribal forum to a forge made of wood with a kitty litter lining.

Charcoal will get hot enough to forge weld.
It has been used for centuries to do iron work all over the world.

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Sola Fide
 
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