from the forge to the oil

[TxMoon]

My first work with 1080 steel. I might have mess up on the hammond quench? I had two blades going at the same time in the forge and I rolled one over to make sure I was getting a even heat and they stuck together      well the cement stuck and there was no getting them apart so I went with the quench. They came apart when they hit the oil. But check out the spots it put on the small blade. Cool but what does it mean? do I need to do another quench? I have done one tempering already 1 hr at 400 they got a nice golden wheat color last pic. what do you think ?  
     

     


   

[Lin Rhea]

You mentioned that you were trying to impart the heat evenly. That's good, so your probably alright. But, anytime the steel scales differently from one end to the other suggests that the heat or atmosphere was a little different for that part of the blade. It was probably in a safe range. I get this sometime too. The more even the better as a rule, of course. When the forge gets good and hot you might turn it down and let the ambient heat soak into the blade with just enough fuel to keep it running. Got to watch the tip. From the pictures, I would say you did good. I suggest another good draw at two hours.
    I will say this, any time that I have two in the forge at the same time, I screw up both of them. That's just me. Lin

[kbaknife]

Lin, tell me what you think about this:
He said when he touched them together they STUCK! "and there was no getting them apart".
He may have been up to welding heat.
The clay wold have been entirely dry, so that's not what stuck together.
If you touch two billets together in a forge when making damascus, they'll stick together.
And he's using 1080 which wold weld up quite nicely.
Some of that scale on there looks like he may have been pretty hot!
Just an idea.

[Steve Nuckels]

Jim, I hope your projects come togeather, please post the finished products!!!

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IN GOD WE TRUST

[Lin Rhea]

That's true Karl. But I would have thought the tip would be really burnt up at those temps and be more visibly damaged. I was assuming the clay is what stuck. Some do start their heating while the clay is still wet.

TxMoon, We need more info about your temperatures before quench. Thanks, Lin

[kbaknife]

I guess what struck me was his comment that "there was no getting them apart". Doesn't seem like clay would offer that much resistance to precipitate such a result.
We need to dig deeper here.

[TxMoon]

The only thing that touched LUCKily was back to back at the back of where the finger guard will be. There was a little borax on bottom fire brick. The clay was put on the day before but it was on there thick. They were up to a good red hot  non-magnetic I let it sit for a few more seconds and grab the bigger blade with the little one stuck hanging down. My tank is on the floor in front of the forge. I put them both in tip first as fast as I could. (At that second I was thinking the little one was going to fall off and splash up on the bigger one I had a hold of, but it made it there) As soon as it hit my oil the little came free and went to the bottom of my 4 gallon tank. They never got to touch metal to metal at all. Am I ok you think? They just finished there second hr at 400 You think one more hr Lin?  I will be glad when I can get this down to a standard routine with out any hick ups but then it would not be as fun or challenge would it. Len and Karl I can not tell you two how much yall both mean to me with your help. It sure has brought my knife making to a new level from when my Dad and I made them when I was a Kid out of old band saw blades. You guys are a class act #1 in my book. Thank you guys a mil and if your ever in my neck of the woods please hollar at me I owe you both a big steak.

[Lin Rhea]

I think your OK. One thing. Did you file test the edge for full hardness? The way they look, I would say they got hard on the cutting edge below the clay. The one that went to the bottom may have to have the tang drawn back with a torch to be able to drill it. Just set it in some water up to the ricasso and turn it dark blue to grey and hold that for a minute or so and let it air cool with the main part of the blade sittin in the water. I think your going to have some nice blades. Lin