L-6 Steel Questions

[skullworks]

I picked up some L-6 Steel to do stock removal blades with. Anyone care to explain the annealing-tempering process for L-6 to me? I am limited to a propane torch and oven to accomplish it...possible? Thanks in advance!

[Leftieshot]

Is the steel in the form of bar stock or the usual old rusted saw mill blade?
More than likely if its bar stock its already in the annealed state.

[skullworks]

Hasn't come in yet...sounded like bar stock but I'm not sure. Just want to try my hand at some stock removal stuff.

[Leftieshot]

If its bar stock you can almost bet that its annealed and ready to work into a blade blank.  I'd ask your source to make sure if you have any doubts.
I don't think you can get the whole blade hot enough with a propane torch, but if you focus on the bevel you grind and only heat treat the cutting edge you may get it hard.
Tempering is easy. Make sure you get all the oil off the blade, or else the other people in the house will be very upset with you.  But put it in your home oven or a toaster oven for 2hrs@400 degress.  Pull it out and let it cool.  Then put it back in again for a another 400 degree session.  Let it cool again, then try the file test.
I'm sure someone else will key in shortly and give you some better details.
Good luck Skull, let us know what happens.
Good luck

[skullworks]

Thanks Leftie!

[Jeremy]

A propane torch in a kiln brick mini forge is what I've been using to heat treat blades for years.
 
Heat the whole blade up to critical temp - the point where a magnet is no longer attracted to it - then quench in warm oil (~120 degrees)
Check the steel with a file to make sure a file doesn't cut into it.  If it does, the steel wasn't hardened properly either b/c the blade wasn't transferred to the oil quick enough or the blade wasn't at critical temperature prior to quenching.  If that's the case, normalize the steel and try hardening again.

If it's good and hard, clean off the oil and pop it in a toaster oven (or the main oven if'n you're not making dinner) at 400 degrees.  General rule of thumb for tempering is hold it at the temperature for 1 hr per inch of thickness.  A knife is pretty thin.  I normally do 45-60 minutes then call it good.  That gives it time to come up to temperature and soak for a good amount.

If the steel isn't annealed, heat it up to critical and immediately bury it in hardwood ashes and let it cool slowly overnight.  That won't be a full anneal, but it'll be close.  It helps to put some hot coals in with the ashes as well.  You can use sand in a pinch, but that won't be a full anneal either.  Will you be able to notice it?  Probably not.

[Wampus]

You might try contacting the Alabama Forge Council to see if there's a bladesmith in you area that might let you come over and quench some blades if you bring a couple bottles of beer along or something.  The head of the Montgomery area chapter lives in Wetumpka.  You should go see him just to watch one of his tire hammers operate.     http://www.alaforge.org/Meeting_schedule.htm

Here's a good how-to on making a good forge for not too much $$. I've been using one of these that I built for about 4 years now and it works great for both forging and heat treating.   http://www.dfoggknives.com/forge.htm

 There are some links to other free plans for forges on the Alabama Forge Council's website under "links".