evenheat kf1136 stacked 36" vertical kiln plus cast iron retort

kevin - the professor

Well-Known Member
Hello Everyone,
I am just posting to let y'all know that this product is great. I got it through Tim Zowada, who evidently had a lot to do with working with Evenheat to get them to make this. It is usually used for salt pots. However, I put a 32"x6.5" inner diameter x .5" cast iron pipe in mine to even the heat (evenheat, ha). Sorry. So, this works really well. It takes all of 15 minutes to come up to 1475F. With the retort in it (fancy word for pipe/heat sink I learned from Tim), it is solid on temp. This kiln will stay within 3F above and 5F below the set temp when I am working between 1400F and 1600F. It takes a while to get "flat" so there are some oscillations at first. But, once the temp regulates itself, the readout will often stay at exactly the same temp for 30 sec at a time.

It does take longer than you would think to bring a knife up to temp. The air in the kiln returns to temp fast, but the blade inside still rises a little slowly. I have to wait about 3 to 5 minutes before i start my, "soak" time.

I have treated 2 w2's, 1 1095 and one low manganese 1075. The w2 and 1095 were the real tests, and all seems well. I broke part off of one, and I have a nice grain as seen by naked eye. Great hamon, etc. I don't have any microscopes or anything, but it seems good. I can't wait to use it for a sword. The heat appears to be even from top to bottom, at least there is no visual difference in the dark in the color of the retort at different heights.

just thought y'all may be interested.

I think this is one of the best purchase I have made for knifemaking.

Kevin
 
We need a "This thread worthless without pics" smilie :)

Sounds interesting Kevin.

Oven is a KEY purchase for knifemakers IMHO. I got the KF22.5 and haven't looked back since. Alot of $ and worth every penny.

Curious if there's a specific reason to with a stacked verticle on longer blades ?

Throw us dogs some pics ;)

Take care, -Josh
 
haha - you got me - I had to go teach a class and didn't have time to upload pics.


I have found that a wad of kaowool with the pan on top works great for a cover. I just hang stuff down into the middle with a wire and pull the thing out when it is ready, grab with tongs, and quench. I tried just dangling from the wire into the quench tank, but I can't get the angle of entry straight enough. I made a banana out of a perfectly good knife.

Here:
 

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Josh - yes, there was definitely a reason to go with vertical. I make swords fairly regularly. This model is deep enough that I can heat treat a 32" blade and let the tang stick out the hole in the top. Just keep the wool tight around the blade and the hole in the top, and the kiln will heat treat just fine. This allows for even heating along the whole length, and helps avoid the wet noodle effect you get from having a sword at full temp. Swords bend a lot under their own weight when at temp.
 
here are two w2 blades I pulled out after a good soak. Notice that, except for the very edges (which are cooling from being in the shop temp air), the blades are a uniform temp/color. Also, I hung one of them near the top and the other near the bottom of the kiln, and they came out looking the same shade. Also, the retort that I use is one uniform color all the way down.


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I need one more thermocouple, but it is definitely better at keeping a workpiece a uniform temperature than I could with my forge.

just letting y'all know. Salt pots would be better, but they are a hassle and not an option for me. If you are in the same situaion I am, you may want to consider something like this.

take care,
Kevin
 
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