Stainless blades in a propane forge?

LiamLynch

Well-Known Member
Basically I am new to all this and have no money for an electric kiln but I want to sell knives. The problem is that in Scotland you need a license to sell any knife that is not for food prep or eating. The logical thing to do is start with kitchen knives but they need to be stainless. I don't know much about heat treating the stuff, 440C is what I can get, I just know it is bloody difficult. The question is can it be done in a propane forge and still produce a good blade? I have this funny problem where I refuse to let anyone else do the stuff for me and so it needs to be doable at home. How would I go about getting good stainless blades for kitchen knives without spending too many pink notes? Thanks guys.
 
Sorry, all your notes are green, forgot that. In the UK the pink ones are the ones that you don't like spending.
 
Liam, I'm not sure how much traveling you do, but there are a few guys around the UK who do beautiful work in kitchen knives. If you seek them out they may be able to help you learn and work your pieces. Check out http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com there is a guy who posts there as Catchside Cutlery (IIRC) and a few others, you might be able to strike something up with them. Other than that, stainless needs to be held at high temps for long soak times which ARE NOT doable in a gas forge.
 
Liam, I get the part about sole authorship. Sometimes there are reasonable limits on that. For example, you probably don't make your own steel. While you might pull off a blade or two in the forge, it will be hit and miss. It is way easier to get a long lasting bad reputation - than a long lasting good one. If you want to try some for your own kitchen, then go for the adventure. If you want to sell them, consider getting the HT done professionally.

By the way, is the stainless thing law or preference. Carbon blades do have an eclectic following.
 
My information on 440C is that it need to be preheated to 750° C. and held to equalize the temperature. Then the heat needs to be raised to 1010°-1065° C. for 30 minutes to austinize followed by an air or oil quench to harden. I would recommend air for something like a knife blade. You cannot have the level of temperature control that is required for that long in a propane forge. Tempering should be at 200° C. to get an HRc of around 58. There is a secondary hardening peek at about 475° which might give you more wear resistance but at a slightly lower HRc.

Doug
 
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