Need Help with steel

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mtgrizzly52

mtgrizzly52

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Joined
Feb 24, 2008
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Location
Kalispell, MT, USA.
I'm about to take the plunge (excuse the pun) into the world of making my own gouges and skews and such. I've bought some steel that is tool steel which uses an oil bath to temper it in 1/4" thickness, width in various sizes from 1/4" to 1 1/2" sizes.

So now, they say the next step is to harden the steel by getting it up to 1500 degrees for a period of time and then quench in the oil.

My question is, and this is totally newbie question, what do you use to get the steel that hot for a sustained time? I don't have an oxy/acet torch set up, I don't have a forge like a blacksmith, in other words what in world do those of you that do this type of thing use to get the temperature up to those levels? Also, how do you know when the steel has hit 1500 degrees; sight, smell, sound, I know, don't touch! *LOL*

As far as the tempering process, it looks like 300 degrees for a sustained time period could be done in mama's oven, but I know better. What do you all use for that part of the process?

Any and all help, suggestions, etc would be appreciated!

Rick (mtgrizzly52)
 
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I have a kiln/ electric furnace that will handle that and more. Its digitaly controled. They have different sizes, google kilns.
 
mtgrizzly52 said:
As far as the tempering process, it looks like 300 degrees for a sustained time period could be done in mama's oven, but I know better. What do you all use for that part of the process?

Any and all help, suggestions, etc would be appreciated!

Rick (mtgrizzly52)
Click to expand...

I've always used the oven with the steel on some laboratory insulating pads (I guess I have a death wish since I still use Asbestos)
 
You can heat sections with a MAPP gas torch.

Do a Google search for tempering steel. I have seen a website with a color chart for estimating steel temperature.

I have also seen plans for building a small forge. One used an old brake drum for the basin.
 
heat with mapp, when you think its hot enough touch lightly with a magnet. if magnet still attracts, its not hot enough. when correct temp is reached magnet will not grab.
 
Rick,

I just finished making my first knife out of an old saw blade. The heat until cherry red AND when a magnet doesn't stick is a good rule. I used my BBQ pit and hardwood charcoal. I tempered the steel in the oven (420 until the steel was straw colored and then I let it cool. It came out quite hard. It takes a bit longer to sharpen than one of my Bucks. I'm happy with the results and I enjoyed making the knife MORE than I enjoy making pens. So go for it! If it doesn't come out right, too hard or soft, you can always re-heat treat it.
 
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