Heat treating

[tommy the cat]

Just having a play round with making a knife and was reading this;
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8673
After quenching is it critical to temper straight away?
The reason I ask is a friend has got a gas axe that I was gonna use but I cant get it into an oven straight away due to the location. Will this be a problem?
Ta Dave

 

[robin wood]

No problem at all. Be aware that after you quench your blade is very hard and potentially brittle but there is no change in a blade from say 60 seconds after it comes out of the oil to a year later. During that 60 seconds there are changes still going on and if you have a long thin blade (sword) it will likely warp and that 60 second window is your only opportunity to straighten it but for normal knife blades 2 minutes or 2 weeks before tempering makes no difference.

 

[tommy the cat]

Thanks Robin. Just the gas is at a mates and it might be a tall order asking to use his missuses oven as well!! Is the temp of the quenching oil crucial?
All the best dave

 

[Bernie Garland]

Hi Dave
I ff your ever in this neck of the woods call in and i'll show you you crack.

Bernie

 

[tommy the cat]

Bernie very kind, will let you know if I'm up your way.
All the best Dave