Heat treating stainless steel...

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PaulSanderson

Settler
May 9, 2010
731
1
North Norfolk, GB
Hi guys,

Not sure if this is in the right section but I'm planning on heat treating some stainless steel for a new blade. I was wondering if it is exactly the same as heat treating O1?? Same temps etc?

Shaped me a lovely new blank, and although the steel was already much tougher than O1, I wonder if I messed up the temper during the cutting process so I just want to eliminate this chance by re-heat treating.

Any info would be great, cheers guys...

Pabs.
 

PaulSanderson

Settler
May 9, 2010
731
1
North Norfolk, GB
cheers for the link tadpole...it seems all that time shaping and grinding has been a waste of time *doh*! it was my best one so far too...haha oh well, typical! I dont even know what type of SS it is so i guess im off to a losing start straight away.

cheers once again.
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,976
13
In the woods if possible.
cheers for the link tadpole...it seems all that time shaping and grinding has been a waste of time *doh*! it was my best one so far too...haha oh well, typical! I dont even know what type of SS it is so i guess im off to a losing start straight away.

If you don't know what type of stainless it is, then you're essentially stuffed. Where did you get it? Do you know that it's suitable for a knife blade? Steels used for table cutlery (typically 304) won't take a decent edge. There are dozens of really good stainless steels suitable for knife blades, and they can have remarkably different properties. Heat treating them is a job for porfessionals, you don't have the equipment at home. Think jars of liquid nitrogen for example.
 

PaulSanderson

Settler
May 9, 2010
731
1
North Norfolk, GB
cheers ged...i got hold of a few stainless steel shims used to shim/level 40 ton generators. when i had a play around with them they seemed so much harder than normal O1, but i have no clue what SS they are. It wasnt a complete waste of time as I practiced skills and found a shape that seems to feel really nice in the hand. i can just transfer this shape to an O1 blank...
 

sasquatch

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 15, 2008
2,812
0
47
Northampton
You can always have a go and see what happens, that would be better than just abandoning it in my opinion...
 

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