Ok have a friend who managed to get some High carbon steel, and cut it into blanks using a laser cutter, thing is the stuff is rock hard, want to use hand tools for this, sooo is there a way to make this easier to work, using a file???
making a knife
- Thread starter spoony
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Initially, it sounds like the steel is in its "hardened" condition, and needs to be annealed to make it workeable. Heat it up to non-magnetic and then put it somewhere to cool slowly (leave it in the fire overnight - etc)
You should then be able to work the blade with hand tools and re - heat-treat back to hard by heating to non-magnetic and quenching - don't forget to temper the finished item afterwards to toughen the blade a bit.
HTH, its a very simplistic view, but might work.
Ogri the trog
You should then be able to work the blade with hand tools and re - heat-treat back to hard by heating to non-magnetic and quenching - don't forget to temper the finished item afterwards to toughen the blade a bit.
HTH, its a very simplistic view, but might work.
Ogri the trog
I don't suppose that the hardness you speak of is just around the profile? Laser cutting can be known to produce a HEZ (Heat effected zone) of hardened material adjacent to the cut.
You could have a go at softening by heating then cooling slowly, thing is, I have heard that some steels react better than others. I think that O-1 and 1095 have enough carbon in them that if you only do a simple lamellar anneal, ie get it hot and slow cool, the carbides can form layers which can repel files and drills. I own though that I haven't really looked into methods of softening steel, mostly being interested in how to get it hard
It is odd however for something like O-1 to appear in hardened bar stock. Any way you could find out what sort of steel is it? Where does it come from? Is it really the same hardness all through?
Well done on the enterprise though! Those blanks look like they have possibilities.
You could have a go at softening by heating then cooling slowly, thing is, I have heard that some steels react better than others. I think that O-1 and 1095 have enough carbon in them that if you only do a simple lamellar anneal, ie get it hot and slow cool, the carbides can form layers which can repel files and drills. I own though that I haven't really looked into methods of softening steel, mostly being interested in how to get it hard
It is odd however for something like O-1 to appear in hardened bar stock. Any way you could find out what sort of steel is it? Where does it come from? Is it really the same hardness all through?
Well done on the enterprise though! Those blanks look like they have possibilities.
quick update, it seems to be very hard around the edge where it has been cut out, the flat side marks very easily. So i guess the laser has hardened the edge, will try to anneal like you have advised, as far as i know its 01 high carbon steel.
Thanks for the input guys
Thanks for the input guys
If you have access to a bench grinder, or power sander/power file, you might consider starting the edge bevel with a grinder, then filing the rest. Usually the HEZ for laser cutting isn't that big, not sure exaclty how much, but I would think it might be less trouble to try to grind it off rather trying to anneal.
Of course, with hindsight, the ideal would have been to have laser cut the profile a little big around the cutting edge, then ground it back a couple of mm to where you wanted the edge to start.
Good luck whatever
Of course, with hindsight, the ideal would have been to have laser cut the profile a little big around the cutting edge, then ground it back a couple of mm to where you wanted the edge to start.
Good luck whatever
C_Claycomb said:Of course, with hindsight, the ideal would have been to have laser cut the profile a little big around the cutting edge, then ground it back a couple of mm to where you wanted the edge to start.
Good luck whatever
Would than still not involve grinding the area where the laser cut was made? (i have little knife making experience, just an observation of logic) I understand that cutting at 90 degrees would be easier but just a thought.
Ben
Ben, I have a disc and belt sander here, they are very effective against hardened steel, the only thing that you have to be carefull about is if you wish to keep the steels temper then you have to keep on cooling the blade.
On steel like this it wouldn't be long before a belt sander had pretty much eaten it especially where there is such a small area that is hardened.
On steel like this it wouldn't be long before a belt sander had pretty much eaten it especially where there is such a small area that is hardened.
will post some pics soon but i tell you what its hard work, and the closer you get to the 2 cuuting edges meeting the more my Bum twitches
Thats looking really good Spoony mate.
Nice work
Question is what you gonna do with the other two?
Nice work
Question is what you gonna do with the other two?
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