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hot enough?
GlisGlis:
beware that at that temperatures salt produces toxic chlorine compounds
paulc:
--- Quote from: KHalverson on November 19, 2021, 07:59:08 pm ---.....sub critical aneal..
the steel should be soft enough to easily file or drill.
--- End quote ---
KHalverson and everyone else...this steel is definitely soft enough to file and drill. I have one blade shaped and I think ready for final sanding and then handle added.
Is it likely it is too soft, like the edge won't keep? Besides smacking the cutting edge to see what it does is there some other way to check it? I saw where you heated the handle w cutting edge in pan of water to keep the edge soft...did I read that right? By heating the handle to cherry red it will be softer than cutting edge so easier to machine?
How do I put hardness back into the cutting edge? Should I...?
Thanks so much! I hope the holiday treated everyone ok.PAUL
Don W:
Now you have to heat treat it to harden it again. Make sure you harden it before you put the handle on it
paulc:
Is that when I heat it real hot then dunk in oil...?
Paul
Don W:
Yes, but different metal heat treat different. I typically use Canola oil, it's like $3 a gallon at Walmart. (Or it was a year ago, it last a long time).
This is tricky without a propane forge, but the nice thing is you can try several times without hurting anything.
Here is what I do:
Heat untill loose magnetic, then dunk in oil. Let it cool. Then temper with 2 cycles in a toaster oven. 400 degrees for 2 hours each.
I write this up:
https://bladesmithing.timetestedtools.net/heat-treating-for-beginners/
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