Hardening question

[steadman]

Here is the deal. I am making some trade points to hunt with this year. They are a bit soft though. Now I know I can harden by getting them red hot and quenching with used motor oil. My question, is there any other oils that can be used? Also how do I know if they are hard enough, but not too hard with out doing a rockwell test?
Thanks, Ryan

[KHALVERSON]

ryan
first we need to know your source for steel
i.e recycled saw blade or mild steel-metal spatula- file
ya get the idea
we need to have an idea of what the steel was too start
kevin

[Ragnarok Forge]

Motor oil is not a good quenching medium and the fumes are toxic.  If your using 1075, 1084, or 5160 steel Canola Oil heated to 125 degrees will work as a quenchant. I have a dozen 1084 trade points I am hardening in Canola Oil tonight.  

You want to heat simple steels like 1084 to non-magnetic and then another 100 degrees to reach austenization. Once you have the right temperature you can quench the head immediately with 1080 series steels

Good luck with the heads.  If you know what steel you have post it here and lots of folks can help.

[tippit]

Even if you don't know your steel but know it is some type of high carbon (ie. springs, files, etc), you can get some degree of hardening by heating to non-magnetic and quench in any veggie or mineral oil.

You will know if it is hard because a file will skate across the steel rather than cut into it.  Now throw it in the oven around 400 degrees for a couple of hours.  If you can now cut it with a file you should be good to go. If the file still skates, back in the oven and increase the temperature til it is easy to cut with the file.  

Try a little torture test by shooting it through a pine board.  If tip doesn't roll over and the edge is intact, you are go to go.  Most early trade points weren't even tempered.

   

 

OK before anyone hops all over this advice, remember we are dealing with a broadhead that only has to be sharp for a milli second.  It just needs to hard enough so the tip doesn't fold over like a tin can lid and soft enough to sharpen easily...Team Tippit Broadheads

[steadman]

Thanks guys. I don't know what kind of steel it is, I got it from a guy in my church who does metal work for a living. It's an 1/8 inch and I can file it fairly easy. I will try Tippits method to get it harder.
Thanks for all the replies, and I'm glad I don't have to use motor oil. I've always admired your work tippit  

[tippit]

One more thing, I tend to temper my broadheads much softer than a knife so they are real easy to sharpen.  Usually to a light purple color rather than to straw or bronze color.  They are effective too...tippit
 
 

 

[tippit]

Ryan,
Before you do a lot of work on that steel, take a small piece and quench it.  If it hardens, then the steel is good enough to make your trade points.

[steadman]

Ha Ha! Too late for that     I will try it out in the next couple days. Great bear! I am hoping to shoot something with my own bh this year. When you say the color of the steel, is it when it's been quenched, or the color you get it before you quench it? Also what did you use to wrap them on? I love the looks of the tread, if that is what it is. Thanks so much for the info!

[tippit]

The color is from the tempering in the oven.  The thread is Kevlar fly tying thread.  Even this 300 lb+ Bad Boy fell to a home forged head.  It will add a new dimension to your bowhunting...Good Luck!

 

[steadman]

Thanks!! I've killed stuff with my own bows, my own arrows, now gotta make it happen with my own BH. Thanks again!!
Oh and that is a great bear, I hope your going agin this year, I really look forward to the bear hunts!