Question for the experts(or all those more experienced than I)

[Bobby Urban]

Got to the shop recently and I am working on a Drop Point hunter for the swap as well as some house warming gifts for a friend.  The knives are forged from a Ford truck coil spring and I have made plenty like the hunter but never anything as thin and nimble as the slicer.  My question is:  What do I need to do or worry about when I am heat treating the slicer.  My process is to heat to non-magnetic and normalize a couple times then heat and dunk tip down imedietly in warm vegi oil right below my forge.  Will the longer, thin blade warp? Is there anything I can do to help avoid this?  Oh - and the fireplace tools are going to him to.  Just a quick side project.

Thanks for any tips on the slicer.

 
 
 
 
 

To keep it hunting related the slicer will definitely be used on venison and the tools will be used on the fire that warms us after the hunt.
Bob Urban

[kansas stik man]

im no pro but from what i know blade needs to be entered vertically and ive also heard to put it in line with magnetic north and south.  oil also needs to be pre heated.

[Lin Rhea]

Bobby, If you have the stresses relieved and go in straight, it should be ok. Have you considered edge quenching? Bring the whole blade up to critical and just put the bottom 1/3 of the blade (the entire cutting edge)in the oil and hold it till the color leaves the rest of the blade and dip the whole thing on down in the oil. Then draw back as you usually do. Just a suggestion, but it might reduce the odds of warpage.

[Bobby Urban]

After hearing from you and Karl Anderson I am thinking some form of edge quench is the ticket.  I am thinking of using clay and trying for a hamon?  If I go the clay route do I clay, heat, plunge entire blade w/clay into oil?

Thank you for the help

Bob Urban

[Lin Rhea]

Bobby, it's not likely that the hamon will be very pronounced because you're using a truck spring for the steel. Also, unless you're using Parks 50 oil, you probably wouldn't get all you can out of the hamon even using the proper steel for hamons. So dont expect a good hamon.

However, this is still a good way to help prevent warping and to get a great differentially hardened blade. So, yes, by all means clay the spine and ricasso area if you like.

Just plung the blade vertical tip first but dont go in past the clay and harden the tang. There's no need to harden any parts that dont need it. Anything that is up to critical and not covered with clay will get fully hardened.

Do your thermocycling and sand off most of the soot before you put the clay on.

[Bobby Urban]

Will do - I will post my results after it is finished for those that are learning something here as well.  Thank you Lin