Working with bone.

2 hours for RC 60? I can handle that-my basic kitchen oven's stable.

Would it be better/easier to work with annealed 1095 from Jantz or an Old Hickory?
 
Sword and Shield said:
2 hours for RC 60? I can handle that-my basic kitchen oven's stable.

Would it be better/easier to work with annealed 1095 from Jantz or an Old Hickory?
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Just to point out... that's just the tempering phase of heat-treating... you have to get it up to 1450*F in the primary phase, which your oven definitely *can't* do.
 
That's what either my propane torch or my wood fire will do- I've had steel get bright orange in there, which a color chart lists in the 1500s F.

What is the better starting material, the Old Hickory or a piece of annealed 1095? My toolset is limited, and I'd like a good working product.
 
Sword and Shield said:
That's what either my propane torch or my wood fire will do- I've had steel get bright orange in there, which a color chart lists in the 1500s F.

What is the better starting material, the Old Hickory or a piece of annealed 1095? My toolset is limited, and I'd like a good working product.
Click to expand...

Apologies... I tend to assume that people missed something, instead of laying the same assumption on myself.
 
1095 is a simple steel - it is basically just carbon and iron. It does not need a soak, so once you have the blade fully at 1450F, you immediately quench. Since you are guessing at the temperature, I would try to hold it at austenitizing temperature for 1 minute to be sure it is fully heated,then quench. A little too high is better than a little too low.`1095 needs a fast quench due to the very short nose on its transition curve. You have about one second from the time it hits the quench ,at 1450F, to drop the temperature below 900F.If it cools slower than that it will start forming pearlite, not martensite. Many oils won't cool the steel that fast.The rating numbers for oils (7 second oil, 11 second oil,etc.)are confusing, and don't mean anything to the average smith. All you need to know is fast quench ( for water hardening steels) or medium quench ( for everything else).
Stacy
 
This is a good thread, I have a couple of OH knives and will use this info after working them to shape and finish although I think I would be happy with around rc 57 or 58 . I have one of the skinners (potential Nesmuk) and a sticker which I wouldn't want too hard for fear of becoming britle.
 
re: bone processing
All of the sources that i have read & the trials that i have done so far -

do not use chlorine bleach on bones or teeth.
it will disinigrate the bone to dust either very quickly - or eventually over time depending upon conditions used.

Hydrogen peroxide will bleach the colour white

Ken's link is very good
 
bladsmth said:
1095 is a simple steel - it is basically just carbon and iron. It does not need a soak, so once you have the blade fully at 1450F, you immediately quench. Since you are guessing at the temperature, I would try to hold it at austenitizing temperature for 1 minute to be sure it is fully heated,then quench. A little too high is better than a little too low.`1095 needs a fast quench due to the very short nose on its transition curve. You have about one second from the time it hits the quench ,at 1450F, to drop the temperature below 900F.If it cools slower than that it will start forming pearlite, not martensite. Many oils won't cool the steel that fast.The rating numbers for oils (7 second oil, 11 second oil,etc.)are confusing, and don't mean anything to the average smith. All you need to know is fast quench ( for water hardening steels) or medium quench ( for everything else).
Stacy
Click to expand...

So it would almost be worth the risk to use hot water, it seems? What are my chances of warping or cracking with water?
 
Without a good temperature control and some experience,the chances of cracking aregood.
Stacy
 
That's the problem. I'm a medical student who loves knives. Money, given loans to pay, a wife who likes to be fed on occasion and car payments that have to be made, make it so the first few I try will have to be on the cheap.

What about the lighter food oils? Canola's thin and light.
 
You can use anything you want. But if you want the blade to perform right in the quench, get a gallon of fast quench. It will last for years. I would recommend a 5gal. pail, but if you are on a budget, a gallon will do.
Starbucks coffe is something like $25 a gallon, and you pi$$ it away within 4 hours.
Printer ink is $15,000 a gallon
25 year old Macallen scotch is $3000 a gallon.
50 year old is $30,000 a gallon

And to convince your gal - lipstick costs $650 to $2000 a gallon
Stacy
 
The best thing would be a round tank about 5-6" round and 16-18" tall. make a tight lid for it. A piece of plain steel pipe works fine. Just weld on a 12X12" plate of mild steel to the bottom to make a secure base.
Some guys just use the can it comes in.
Stacy
 
I think that it is best to leave it until it is fully cooled, you might want to just wait a few minutes to make sure.
 
If you can swing it, get at least two gallons ( since 5 gallons is the same cost as three gallons, that is why I recommend the 5 gal pail, only $16/gal.), especially if you are doing 14" blades in 1095. It takes a fair bit of oil to properly quench a big blade. If you are doing one at a time, a smaller tank will work, but when you start doing several knives at a time, you will need 2-3 gallons of oil, minimum.BTW, A turkey fryer pot makes a great quench tank for 5 gallons of oil.

The blade should stay in the quench tank until you can remove it by hand. Then you cool it to room temperature (running water is fine to do this) ,and as soon as possible do the first temper cycle.

I'll give you my 1095 quench procedure:
Normalize the blade three times. You want no build up stresses in 1095.
Austenitize[/B at 1450F, with a one minute soak to assure complete evenness of temperature.
Quench in fast oil. Straight in, tip first. Count to five, quickly pull the blade out ( the blade ,and tank,may burst into flame, that's OK, but be prepared, so you don't panic), and sight along the spine to see if it is straight. Immediately straighten any warp by slipping the blade in a vise ( prior to the quench,open the vise so that the jaws have been cracked open just enough to allow the blade to slide in. You don't want to waste a second doing this during quench) and twisting/bending as needed. The blade is like rubber between 900F and 300F,so don't be faint of heart, but do be quick. If no warp is found, or after a fast straighten, stick the blade back into the quench and let cool till you can hold it with your bare hands.
Check with a file to assure the edge is hard - it should sing across the blade edge with no bite at all. After the quench ,and before the temper, 1095 is very brittle and can be broken easily, so don't drop it or try to bend it. Temper as soon as possible.
Wipe off the oil, wash the blade with soap and water.( If you don't wash it well your wife won't ever let you temper another one in the oven)
Temper by putting the blade in the oven at 475F, and bake for two hours. Cool to room temp (water is fine to cool it off), and repeat the temper again.

Stacy
 
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