[TheForge] to heat treat or not to heat treat... that is myquestion.

[Jason Nass]

Was easy enough to round up several gallons of used motor oil... I just went
up to the maintainance garage up the road and asked if they had any used
motor oil... they had most of a 55gal. barrel so gave me about 5 gallons of
it. I dropped it at what I judged to be about 1550-1600 (specs said 1575)
and it is currently in the oven for a couple hours at 500.

Jason Nass - MacTalis Ironworks
me at wargoth.com


-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David E. Smucker
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 4:27 PM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] to heat treat or not to heat treat... that is
myquestion.

I would heat treat it and temper at 450 to 500 F in an oven for 1 to 2 
hours.  This will give you about Rockwell C of 50.  Heat to critical (just 
above non magnetic) and quench in oil.  Then temper in an oven right away. 
(If it is the kitchen oven make damn sure you wipe it very clean of oil, 
maybe even give it a wash.)

If you just normalize it will still be a good tool, but will have a hardness

of only the high 30's to low 40's  depending on how fast the small end of 
the bick air cools.  Your anvil is most likely Rc of 50 to 52 for a 
reference.

Dave Smucker
Brasstown,  NC

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Jason Nass" <me at wargoth.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 2:49 PM
To: "'Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [TheForge] to heat treat or not to heat treat... that is 
myquestion.

> Just finished up an anvil bick of 4140. I'm not overly familiar with using
> it for tools, so I am undecided whether to heat treat it and risk it being
> to brittle to deal with impact, or just leave it normalized. I'd imagine
> that being it is a high strength alloy, it should hold up to having hot
> steel hammered around it, especially being as I ain't gonna be using no 
> 12#
> sledges on it. What thoughts might you metallurgist types have on the
> matter?
>
> Jason Nass - MacTalis Ironworks
> me at wargoth.com
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> TheForge mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:TheForge at mailman.qth.net
>
> TheForge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoworks.com
> Login: blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> Password: anvil
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> 
______________________________________________________________
TheForge mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:TheForge at mailman.qth.net

TheForge mail list group photo site is
http://www.photoworks.com
Login: blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
Password: anvil

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html