[TheForge] heat treating L6/1095

[gblacksmith]

Andy:  When preparing a tang for drilling, make sure the tang surface is
flat.  A convex or uneven surface can make it difficult for the bit to find
purchase.  Also, starting the hole with a spring-punch mark is helpful.

I prefer the oil quench...less distortion and risk of cracking in thin
sections.  If you have properly austenized the steel you should get
excellent hardness.  Test with a file edge

The dark straw color is good for most knives.  This happens at about 450F in
most ovens.  The color is produced when the core temp is elevated to the
point the colored oxide appears on the surface.  It is not the action of
flame on the surface, as many believe.

In your case, the nickel-bearing L6 will be more resistant to the etch than
the 1095, thus producing the watered surface.

                                        Grant

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gladish" <gladish@cnw.com>
To: <theforge@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2003 11:05 PM
Subject: RE: [TheForge] heat treating L6/1095


> Hi, Grant
>
> > Andy:  The L6 (Latrobe's version) often has a fair amount of molybdenum
in
> > it, hence the seeming hardness.  Best way to prepare for hardening is to
> > fully anneal the billet in preheated sand, ashes or vermiculite to SLOW
> > cool.  I prefer vermiculite.  It should cut/grind readily then.
>
> Maybe that's why I couldn't drill the tang- I just let it air cool.
>
> > Quench in
> > room temp quenching oil.   Light mineral oil will substitute.
>
> What about water quenching- is it bad for the steel?
>
> > I temper my L6 blades to dark straw color,
> > preferring homogenous hardening to differential hardening.
>
> Same for sandwiches?
>
> > L6 is high in Nickel, so it makes VERY tough blades, support of
> > core should
> > be no problem.
>
> The L6 bar was thinner than the 1095, so it probably made a fairly thin
> "coating" especially after grinding.
>
> > What temperature/color range did you weld it in?  Gas or coke fire?
Power
> > or hand hammer?
>
> Coal (coke). Took good notes at a Fiorini demo a couple years ago. One
thing
> he stressed was welding at comparatively low temps, so I only took it to a
> bright orange, barely into yellow, and used a probe to double check
> readiness.
> The welds were set by hand, and I drew the point out and forged the tang
> under the LG, fluxing every heat, then beveled and finished on the anvil.
> Funny- it's all stuff I do all the time- weld, forge, finish, grind, file-
> just never tried doing it to make a knife...
> Now I start to see how habit forming it could be! Really a fun project.
> Thanks for all the info,
> Andy G.
>
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