working with 5160

Danbo

Danbo

Joined
Nov 28, 1999
Messages
14,985
I don't work with 5160 very often, but every time I do, I question my methods. Just seems like that blades don't get hard enough. Maybe I'm used to blades getting super glass hard(O1, 1084). Or, maybe I'm on crack. Who knows? :p:D


Anyway, here's what I did the other night. Both blades are 5160, but the bigger one was Aldo's 5160H. I set my Evenheat oven to 1525(which means it fluctuated between 1520-1530), allowed the oven to stabilize for 20 mins or so, then put the blades in and shut the door. I allowed them to soak for 15 mins or so and pulled the small one out and did a full quench into Parks AAA. As the oven lost some heat when I opened it for the little blade, I allowed the big blade to soak for another 10 mins or so, then full quenched it into the Parks AAA. Wiped them down and took a fairly new triangle file to the edge of the bigger blade and it sort of dug in. I mean, it made the higher pitched ringing sound of a hardened blade, but still it dug in a bit. I know on my O1 and 1084 blades, that file isn't digging in at all. My question is, do I need to reheat treat this blade; maybe soak at a higher temp? Maybe quench into the Parks 50? Is this normal for 5160? Was my file digging into decarb? Or, again, am I on crack and is my file just extra sharp? ;) :)

Little blade seems very hard and will not bend or flex at all, despite being flat ground very thinly. Didn't try the file on it, though.

Oh mighty 5160 experts; I seek your knowledge! :)

user1960_pic83439_1320022174.jpg
 
Last edited:
I'm curious about how different steels feel out of the quench too.
Did you try the file on it the next day? Did it feel the same? (or temper immediately as is probably recommended?)

-Daizee
 
FWIW, I heat treated a 5160 blade this summer (I described that in a former thread) soaking for 5 min. The file test made me think I had botched the HT but I tempered it anyway and I took it to a lab for testing. It registered 58-59HRC which was fine. The file had bitten a bit. I had done a file test on an SKS5 (soaked 2 min) blade before and it felt like glass. Maybe 5160 decarbs easier, maybe it lost more carbon because of longer soaking time, maybe it does not have good wear resistance and you feel that with the file, but I am just guessing. I HT y the eye using a primitive setup and my comparison is based on memories.
 
It's possible that it may not be able to come out of the quench as hard as the other steels because it has less carbon. If you think you did the right things to it, maybe try it out so you know what to expect or change for next time.

Good luck with it, Craig
 
Skeptikos said:
FWIW, I heat treated a 5160 blade this summer (I described that in a former thread) soaking for 5 min. The file test made me think I had botched the HT but I tempered it anyway and I took it to a lab for testing. It registered 58-59HRC which was fine. The file had bitten a bit. I had done a file test on an SKS5 (soaked 2 min) blade before and it felt like glass. Maybe 5160 decarbs easier, maybe it lost more carbon because of longer soaking time, maybe it does not have good wear resistance and you feel that with the file, but I am just guessing. I HT y the eye using a primitive setup and my comparison is based on memories.
Click to expand...

Your post makes me feel a bit better. I think the blade will be ok, but the file test threw me off for a minute. Hey, if I get 58-59 out of this one, I'm fine with it. As you can see, it's kind of a big honkin choppin thing anyway. ;)
 
5160 is my steel of choice and I have heat treated about 60 5160 knives so far. I have also noticed that a file will not skate off of it the same way as it does on other steels like O1 or 1084 but the edge holding is excellent. It does decarb a lot in my opinion compared to the other steels I have heat treated. I can also cut down a big tree with a 5160 chopper and have it shave hair no problem! I also chopped a small cinderblock in half just for fun with a 5160 tanto :eek: :D and the edge damage was minimal, it only took a minute to sharpen out the chips and it is still my shop knife! I know that is a silly test but I was impressed.
 
Most reference charts I've seen give 59 Rc, to 63 Rc hardness as quenched. A good file would cut it.
 
5160 steel needs a little higher heat and a little longer soak time i do 1550 degrees for 30 mins and i use motor oil quench until cool to touch. file should not dig at all! initial HRC 61-63
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top