Bent blade need help!!!

[JMR]

While making my father-in-laws Christmas present I did something stupid and set a hot blade(400 degreesish) of a cold piece of steel and went back to work on another knife. When I returned to it a slight bend had occurred. Don't want to give father-in-law a bent knife (only been married a couple months I'm still kissing a$$)can I fix it easily. Thanks in advance Jason

[theunluckyhunter]

get to critical, clamp it straight in a vise. then reheat treat

[Ray Hammond]

If the blades already been heat treated you can still somewhat safely take small bends out by clamping the piece to a thick flat bar of steel with two similar sized metal spacers of any thing laying around (2 allen keys, thick nails, bolts etc.) spaced on either side of the bent section and tighten the c clamp or vice gently onto the bent section bringing it back in line. You may need to go a hare past that to bend it back sufficiently, but theres much less chance breaking the blade bending it this way, never smack it with a hammer once its cold.

[JMR]

Thanks for the help. I'll try clamping it first if that doesn't work I'll have to reheat it, did'nt want to as I still have two to finish before X-mas.    

[chiger]

Hey JMR,

I take it since you say 400 degrees you were tempering the blade.  If that's so, the bend in the blade isn't the only problem ya got.  Temper only occurs when the blade is allowed to cool slowly.  If it was cooled fast enough to bend, the temper is messed up as well.  

If you use Ray's method or any other mechanical method, you can reduce the risk of the blade snapping by heating it back up to 400 as well.  I've actually put um on a board with the bend up, laid a piece of 2x2 on it and whacked it with a hammer.  Works for minor bends.  Then re-temper it.  

This time use a dish of sand heated to 400.  Set the blade in edge down for 2 hours and let the whole thing cool to room temp inside the oven.  Should eliminate any chance of warping.

[Ray Hammond]

I agree, I didnt catch that part of it, Chiger. Thanks for catching that. Like I tell you guys I am NO EXPERT.

[JMR]

Thanks again to everyone for the input. I got er staighter than it was before, still not perfect but it will do. I heated it up a little and applied a little pressure were needed. Followed Chiger's advice and retempered minus the sand, it's under a foot + of snow here in MI. Finished the knife about an hour ago and the wife and I agree it's not to bad for my second (third technically first one was junk)knife. Thanks again, Jason