Knife making question

[Puggy625]

I made my first knife a few weeks ago and sent it to Texas knife supply to be heat treated. I've been expecting to get it back sometime this week. When it didn't arrive today, I called them to check on it. They had to check on it and call me back. Ends up that they sent it to some guy in Colorado. They are trying to make it right, but I am PIZZED to say the least. They are trying to contact the guy but haven't heard back from him. TKS is sending me a replacement piece of steel, refunding my heat treat charge as well as the charge for the other 2 knives I currently have in heat treat.

My question is.....if you send out your knive for heat treat, who do you use and have you had problems like this? Is there anyone around the east/northeast side of DFW that does heat treat of stainless?

Just trying to see if there is a quicker way of turning them around.

[Leon County Slayer]

I live in Houston and deal with them directly on buying materials only. I've only had good experiences with them so I'm sorry to hear about your ordeal but it sounds like thye're tyring to make it right. Hope they can track it down and get it back to you for all the work!

Best thing to do if you don't have access to your own oven or oxycetaline torch would be to google knifemakers in your area and just call one of the guys - most are willing to help if they have the equipment. You might also try Texas Knifemakers Association website to see who might be in your area. hope this helps.
Brian Milinski

[Jason Fry]

Peters Heat Treat is well thought of, but Brian's suggestion is better. Find a knifemaker in your area, or better yet, get you some 1084 from New Jersey Steel Baron and heat treat it in a charcoal forge. Doesn't have to be fancy. I did about 75 knives in the brick pile in the pics below.

[alec bailey]

i just got done with my homemade forge that i looked up on youtube. a litterly just got done heat treating it. well i wasn't watching how hot it was getting and it it flat out melted my knife. im about to start a new one tonight and going to start a thread on it.

[Jermdog01]

Search bodycote, there is one in Fort Worth I will be trying them next since they are close to home. There is a knife maker in Cleburne that suggested them. If any one else has used them let us know how it turned out.

Thanks

Bodycote - Fort Worth, Texas

Vacuum brazing, vacuum heat treatment, gas and oil quenching, carburising, austempering, normalising, hardening and tempering of stainless steel, titanium and aluminium; ferritic nitrocarburizing; heat treatment of superalloys.

Bodycote
2005 Montgomery Street
Fort Worth
TX 76107
Texas
Tel: +1 817 737 6651 Fax: +1 817 377 9610
E-Mail: chris.johnson@bodycote.com
Main Contacts
Mr Chris Johnson, General Manager chris.johnson@bodycote.com
Mr Rick Fleming, Plant Manager rick.d.fleming@bodycote.com

[Puggy625]

I contacted them yesterday and while they do heat treat knives, it didn't sound like they knew exactly what they were doing. The guy just humhawed around about it. Not too confident in that. Let me know how they turn out and how much they charge. He couldn't even tell me that. Also, he sounded like they would prefer to do batch (10 or more) knives at a time.

[Jermdog01]

Funny, I talked to them today and got a different story.

I will sed a pm now with number.

[ecrepps]

I use a torch (pear burner) attched to a propane tank. Heat the blade non-manetic and quench in your favorite oil. I took some used oil from my atv and some used oil from a fish fry, mixed em and use that to quench the blade. After removing any scaling, i then anneal it slowly in a toaster over. Seems to work ok for a metro jethro.

[chopsknives]

While the torch method is still a great way to heat treat Carbon Steel i wouldn't recommend this method for stainless steel or ANY stainless alloys. When heat treating Carbon there is no need for a soak time but rather trying just to reach critical mass. On Stainless Alloys there is a crucial "soak" time at Critical mass to achieve proper hardening which can only be achieved in an oven. On Carbon Steel you can go by the Magnets but remember at a higher temp. Carbon Steel becomes Magnetic again! If using a forge you want to take carbon steel to the back side of red - just starting to turn orange and then quench immediately being careful not to go to complete orange as carbon steel becomes brittle if heated too hot. Most Stainless alloys call for a 45 min. or so "soak" time at critical mass. If you send em out to heat treat I'd make sure they test for hardness and even then get a set of hardness testing files.

[Jermdog01]

Who to use?

While the torch method is still a great way to heat treat Carbon Steel i wouldn't recommend this method for stainless steel or ANY stainless alloys. When heat treating Carbon there is no need for a soak time but rather trying just to reach critical mass. On Stainless Alloys there is a crucial "soak" time at Critical mass to achieve proper hardening which can only be achieved in an oven. On Carbon Steel you can go by the Magnets but remember at a higher temp. Carbon Steel becomes Magnetic again! If using a forge you want to take carbon steel to the back side of red - just starting to turn orange and then quench immediately being careful not to go to complete orange as carbon steel becomes brittle if heated too hot. Most Stainless alloys call for a 45 min. or so "soak" time at critical mass. If you send em out to heat treat I'd make sure they test for hardness and even then get a set of hardness testing files.

Chop who would recommend we/I send blades out for treatment?

[Bjankowski]

While the torch method is still a great way to heat treat Carbon Steel i wouldn't recommend this method for stainless steel or ANY stainless alloys. When heat treating Carbon there is no need for a soak time but rather trying just to reach critical mass. On Stainless Alloys there is a crucial "soak" time at Critical mass to achieve proper hardening which can only be achieved in an oven. On Carbon Steel you can go by the Magnets but remember at a higher temp. Carbon Steel becomes Magnetic again! If using a forge you want to take carbon steel to the back side of red - just starting to turn orange and then quench immediately being careful not to go to complete orange as carbon steel becomes brittle if heated too hot. Most Stainless alloys call for a 45 min. or so "soak" time at critical mass. If you send em out to heat treat I'd make sure they test for hardness and even then get a set of hardness testing files.

Well said brother; lots of good info there.

[stx tomcat]

what kind of steel are you using are you using cpm 154 or 154 cpm or ATS 134 or 440 or high carbon I will help you out with heat treatment . what kind hardness on those blades are you looking for . or pm me

[Puggy625]

I'm using ATS-34 steel. I wish I had seen your post earlier, just sent another 3 knives to Texas Knife. I'll send you a pm.

[stx tomcat]

any time ill help you out.