First go at HT'ing a blade

[Gumbob]

I decided to have a go at HT'ing a blade. The blade is made of O1 and was HT'ed in a BBQ using an old hair dryer to bring the temp up. This seamed to work OK as I got it to cherry red in no time. It was then quenched in oil. I repeated the process and then tempered in an oven for one hour at 230 C.
I have left the rough finish on the blade and handled it with Bubinga wood.
I dont have a way of measuring the hardness of the blade but I can say its holding an edge really well. I sharpened it up to shaving sharp, cut, sliced and hacked through a 3 inch fence post and its still shaving the hairs from my arm So...I am happy with how it has worked out. The only thing I would change if I make another is to not leave the rough finish.
Oh. The grind is a very slight convex.
Heres a few pics and as always all comments are more than welcome...even bad ones

Cheers...Gumbob

 

[leon-b]

nice blade mate
well done

 

[British Red]

Lovely knife Gumbob - really nice

Red

 

[Ogri the trog]

Gumbob,
Did you check the blade with a magnet before quenching or did you just go by the colour of the steel?

Looks great by the way.

Ogri the trog

 

[Gumbob]

Gumbob,
Did you check the blade with a magnet before quenching or did you just go by the colour of the steel?

Looks great by the way.

Ogri the trog

Both I have a magnet stuck to the BBQ and checked it with that but the colour was easier to use than I expected it to be.

HTH....Gumbob

 

[Longstrider]

..... all comments are more than welcome...even bad ones

It would take a brave man to leave a bad comment on work that good. You've cerainly got more guts than me, HT-ing the thing yourself. I have made myself a blade and it took way, way too long and too much effort to go risking it in a BBQ (Especially as a very kind Mod on this site with lots of practice at Ht-ing has promised to do it for me soon! )

I have been inpired by the 5 Hour Forge thread though, so might soon build one of those myself and have a crack at Ht-ing some offcuts and the like with that before risking a finished blade.

 

[rapidboy]

Looks great mate, well done.

 

[mojofilter]

 

[Gumbob]

Your a bad man Mojo.

 

[mojofilter]

 

[MattW]

Looks great Gumbob!

Well done - it must be great to take it through all the way from raw materials to the finished knife - I didn't have the bottle to HT the blade I made recently - couldn't face the prospect of ruining all that work!

best
matt

 

[Hoodoo]

Looks like a winner to me! I really like the handle. Looks very comfy.

 

[Gumbob]

Looks like a winner to me! I really like the handle. Looks very comfy.

It feels very good in the hand Hoodoo. Its quite chunky but thats how I like them, and I made it as a user to suit my hands.

Can't wait till I get my hands on some more steel now

Gumbob