Laminate one-piece and a lesson on improving cheap tools

[Drstrangefart]

Here's a neat laminate that seems to not get used all too often. I had been wanting some for quite a while, but I didn't wanna spend money I didn't have on $5 blanks I was just gonna play with and probably destroy. My Dad and stepmom found some on the cheap for me, and I decided to try one out. My gouges came from Harbor Freight, a set of 6 or 8 wood turning chisels for $18. CHEAP. Me and Dad took my primary gouge and turned the MAP gas torch on it. Got it glowing red, waited until it was no longer ferrous and dropped it in water. PRESTO!!!! Performing almost as well as the $80 gouge that almost no one seems to carry in their stores.

 

[KenV]

Just do not drop the gouge on a concrete floor --- Brittle steel can break.

Wear your face shield so a chip does not hit your face --


Pen looks good

 

[Jgrden]

Sheesh!!! Another nice pen. Love the use of the colored kits.

 

[Drstrangefart]

Just do not drop the gouge on a concrete floor --- Brittle steel can break.

Wear your face shield so a chip does not hit your face --


Pen looks good

No kidding! I didn't add more carbon, so it should't be too brittle. We'll see how it goes.

 

[Drstrangefart]

Sheesh!!! Another nice pen. Love the use of the colored kits.

Thanks! This is one of my favorites out of the recent pens.

 

[boxerman]

Very nice pen & blank.

 

[Drstrangefart]

Very nice pen & blank.

Thanks! Now I just need more of these blanks to monkey around with later on when I can afford to shop for toys.

 

[KenV]

Just do not drop the gouge on a concrete floor --- Brittle steel can break.

Wear your face shield so a chip does not hit your face --


Pen looks good

No kidding! I didn't add more carbon, so it should't be too brittle. We'll see how it goes.

Hardened tool steel that has not been tempered tends to be brittle. High Carbon steel is what you described being treated (heat red hot and quench). Seen it break/chip if it is not tempered afterward to reduce the hard/brittle some.

 

[triw51]

Just do not drop the gouge on a concrete floor --- Brittle steel can break.

Wear your face shield so a chip does not hit your face --


Pen looks good

No kidding! I didn't add more carbon, so it should't be too brittle. We'll see how it goes.

Hardened tool steel that has not been tempered tends to be brittle. High Carbon steel is what you described being treated (heat red hot and quench). Seen it break/chip if it is not tempered afterward to reduce the hard/brittle some.

I must agree with KenV on the tempering of tool steel. I do bladesmithing as a hobby and have seen blades break when dropped before they were tempered. not sure what type of tool steel your gouge is made from but I am suprized it did not crack when you quenched it in water most good tool steels are oil quenched.

 

[frank123]

If a normal tool steel or high carbon steel is chipping easily it needs tempering.

Usually safe to heat it in an oven for a half hour to an hour at 400 - 450 degrees and let it air cool to room temperature to accomplish this, no lower than about 350 degrees and no higher than 500. It should come out a light straw color, a slightly golden color to it, as the oxides forming on the surface are that color at those temperatures. No color change, heat it at (progressively) another 50 degrees till you end up with that color (it won't be an intense color like the blue from getting it really hot on a grinder by grinding too long without coolant).

Tempering reduces the edge hardness somewhat but toughens the steel substantially so it can take more abuse when used.

(Should add, remove any wood handles and such)

 

[Drstrangefart]

To be fair, this looks like it was cut out of the side of a metal pipe. It's some dirt-cheap crap steel. And if it does break, I can buy a new SET of them for 18 bucks. I know I probably should have oil tempered it, but I was working indoors. So far, results have been good. It still reeks of cheap tool, but it holds an edge a LOT better and the grinding wheel doesn't have an absolute field day chewing it up anymore.

 

[Drstrangefart]

I should probably add that it was in no form any kind of HSS. I have my doubts it was intended as tool steel either. One resin blank required at least 3 sharpenings.

 

[randyrls]

Just do not drop the gouge on a concrete floor --- Brittle steel can break.

Wear your face shield so a chip does not hit your face --

After doing that the steel will be "glass brittle". Make sure you "temper" the steel by heating it to about 400 degrees for 2 or 3 hours then allow to cool gradually.