Heat-treating

daveofthenorth · Post by **daveofthenorth** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 5:09 pm

Hello all, I am hoping someone can advise me on this.

I am working on a blade made of 0-1 tool steel, and need a process for heat-treating it at home.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated, thanks!

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 7:06 pm

O1 is easy to heat treat. Place it on a firebrick or other heat reflective material. Charcoal in a grill will work. Heat with a propane torch until the steel glows red (1450-1475 degrees). Immediately quench in vegetable oil, transmission fluid, or oil. This will create a lot of smoke! After quenching, test the steel with a good file. The file should slide off the blade, rather than cutting it. If not, repeat the first step. Polish the decarburization (black stuff) off the blade, down to bright steel, and temper at 500 defrees in a toaster oven for 20- 30 min. Let air cool.
Done, except for final polish.
Bill

daveofthenorth · Post by **daveofthenorth** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 8:33 pm

Excellent, that sounds relatively easy!

Thanks for helping me out once again Mr. DeShivs!

I will post pictures when it is finished.

Dave

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:16 pm

Dave
The hard part is keeping the blade red along the entire length until quench. You may have to use 2 torches.
Bill

Vagrant · Post by **Vagrant** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 9:47 pm

After the quench but before the temper it will be brittle as glass [that's why you temper it]. Handle it VERY CAREFULLY until it's tempered

Some toaster ovens "hunt" for the heat setting and will get too hot before settling down. Pre-heat 10-15 minutes first

[I temper a little less hot 425-475 but that's why they make Fords and Chevies or Winchesters and Remingtons or Coke and Pepsi

]

Post by **tr4252** » Tue Nov 09, 2004 10:59 pm

Bill & Al,

Did you ever try the magnet method of reading the steel while you're heat treating it? I tried this a couple of times, and found that I didn't have enough hands to do it easily, and wasn't happy with the results. Do you find yourselves going by color/by eye in favor of other methods?

Tom

Post by **Bill DeShivs** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:15 am

I've heard of, but never used the magnet. I just eyeball it.
Bill

daveofthenorth · Post by **daveofthenorth** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:35 am

Thanks again for all these useful tips everyone.

This is turning into a real interesting project. I will definitely need at least 2 torches, as the blade is 18" long.

I will have to do the tempering in a full-size oven... or maybe a BBQ if that is possible.

Thanks again guys, I'll let you know how it turns out.

Dave