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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: Meleon on June 11, 2017, 12:08:00 PM
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I'm working on a new knife for my son. I'm using O1 tool steal and set out to heat treat it yesterday. I brought it up to critical really didn't let it soak for very long. Quenched in canola oil I heated up. (I didn't leave in the oil very long) it was still a little too hot to handle bare handed. it hardened enough to skate a chainsaw file.
I then proceeded to temper at 410 degrees for 2 hours and let it cool in the oven.
It came out of the oven a dark straw colour with some purples swirled in for good measure. Did I draw too much temper?
So I think I basically did everything wrong I could do wrong. Is it possible to completely redo the heat treat? Or the fact that it skated I file mean that it hardened? Seeing purples in the temper color indecate it's wrecked?
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It actually sounds Ok. You can check the finished edge to see if it deflects when rolled on brass rod or Bic lighter...if it stays deflected too soft or over tempered...If edge chips too hard then back in over at a higher temperature. Or just sharpen and see how easy it is to sharpen and how long the edge stays sharp.
You can always throw it back into forge, bring back to critical temperature, and start your heat treat all over. If I do that I'll just take my sharpened edge off with a light pass on a worn out 220 belt.
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Thanks tippit I'll give the brass rod a shot.
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Lot of video on brass rod test and other edge geometry tests on You Tube.
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After the time at temper you are far better off to simply remove it from the oven and quench it in water quickly.
Like Jeff said - if you did everything correctly there's a chance there is no need to re-harden.
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It should be fine, but could be better. You will get much better performance from O-1 with a good soak at critical before the quench. 10 to 15 minutes is good. Cover the blade with anti scale compound of some type to reduce decarb, or just leave the edge a bit thick to grind back to good steel.
Darcy :campfire:
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Thanks everyone for your responses.
I went ahead and finished it. seems to hold a decent edge. this is third knife so far and I'm having a bit of fun at it. as I wasn't sure about my heat treat I kinda rushed the finish a bit. (which I seem to be always guilty of). You can see one of my rivets in the bolster and there's a bit of polishing compound in the showing on the blade.
I plan to take some better photos once i get a sheath made.
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad243/Jamie_MacInnis/IMG_10491_zpscr0selet.jpg) (http://s940.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MacInnis/media/IMG_10491_zpscr0selet.jpg.html)
Here's a shot showing the temper colors. looked pretty dark to me. but seems to be ok. as Darcy said My edge was really thick. maybe that's what saved me.
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad243/Jamie_MacInnis/IMG_09971_zpsoyd1inut.jpg) (http://s940.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MacInnis/media/IMG_09971_zpsoyd1inut.jpg.html)
and a one of my boy at the bevel jig.
(http://i940.photobucket.com/albums/ad243/Jamie_MacInnis/IMG_09171_zpsz52dtfsi.jpg) (http://s940.photobucket.com/user/Jamie_MacInnis/media/IMG_09171_zpsz52dtfsi.jpg.html)