Idaho shooter
Member
I am set to take a knife making class using the stock removal method, starting with a blank of tool steel. Without tempering, will this blade have enough hardness to hold a good edge?
Knife making class
- Thread starter Idaho shooter
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Of couse not.
Zeke/PA
Member
Not even NEAR practical
It's best to get your blade about 90% finished as in blade shape, blade bevel, hilt fit and holes drilled before heat-treating.
An oil hardening tool steel ( 1095, 0-1) lends itself well to home heat treating methods.
Maybe a skilled toolmaker or machinist friend can help you.
It's best to get your blade about 90% finished as in blade shape, blade bevel, hilt fit and holes drilled before heat-treating.
An oil hardening tool steel ( 1095, 0-1) lends itself well to home heat treating methods.
Maybe a skilled toolmaker or machinist friend can help you.
Are you paying to receive a letter opener, or with the steel either be a pre-heat treated blank, or heat treated later (you can send blades out)?
FYI, I just did it. Looked at some videos, bought a sander at Harbor Freight, heat treated with charcoal and hair dryer forge.
FYI, I just did it. Looked at some videos, bought a sander at Harbor Freight, heat treated with charcoal and hair dryer forge.
Valkman
Member
If it's heat treated before hand, you have to be very careful not to get it too hot while grinding. If a colored spot appears the HT is ruined. Many knifemakers now get the blanks HT'd before they grind but I didn't like that way and did it the old fashioned way.
Idaho shooter,
I have heat treated a home-ground blade by making a very small oven out of 5 bricks held together with baling wire and heated by a MAPP torch. After heating, I quenched the blade in used motor oil and then tempered in my household oven at 500F.
(I realize some of the pros here may cringe at this approach)
Heat treating is quite fun and do-able... I encourage you to not be daunted!
The University of YouTube has some great classes.
I have heat treated a home-ground blade by making a very small oven out of 5 bricks held together with baling wire and heated by a MAPP torch. After heating, I quenched the blade in used motor oil and then tempered in my household oven at 500F.
(I realize some of the pros here may cringe at this approach)
Heat treating is quite fun and do-able... I encourage you to not be daunted!
The University of YouTube has some great classes.
No cringing here, except over the used motor oil.
Sunray
Member
"...tempered in my household oven at 500F..." That may or may not be doing anything. Depends on the steel. 500F is usually too cool.
http://www.anvilfire.com/article.php?bodyName=/FAQs/heattreating.htm
Like hso says, used motor oil isn't a good idea. Too many contaminants.
Anyway, any knife you make by grinding will need proper heat treating. Even tool steel varies.
http://www.anvilfire.com/article.php?bodyName=/FAQs/heattreating.htm
Like hso says, used motor oil isn't a good idea. Too many contaminants.
Anyway, any knife you make by grinding will need proper heat treating. Even tool steel varies.
Jeepergeo
Member
I did stock removal methods with some success. Heat treated in my charcoal chimney with my shop vac blowing the air, quenched in used motor oil (use a bunch...story later on using too little), then final in hot oven. Blade came out pretty good for my first...it is rough Americana woodsman is how I'd classify it.
The story. Use a bunch of oil, say 3 to 5 gallons. I used about a gallon and the cherry hot steel heated the oil to its flash point and it began to burn. And boy does burning used motor oil put out smoke!! When heating in the chimney, I used hardwood coals and with the shop vac set to blow, was able to get the steel hot enough to be non magnetic (test with a magnet). Also, clean the blade of all traces of oil BEFORE putting it in your wife's kitchen oven!
The story. Use a bunch of oil, say 3 to 5 gallons. I used about a gallon and the cherry hot steel heated the oil to its flash point and it began to burn. And boy does burning used motor oil put out smoke!! When heating in the chimney, I used hardwood coals and with the shop vac set to blow, was able to get the steel hot enough to be non magnetic (test with a magnet). Also, clean the blade of all traces of oil BEFORE putting it in your wife's kitchen oven!
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It is important to do all these steps away from the house so you don't loose a house and a blade in the process.
Valkman
Member
Big mistake. Buy a cheap toaster oven at Walmart, it does the job.
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