Heat treating 440c

In general, stainless blade steels need more control than a simple forge would provide to harden properly. You need to be able to hold precise temperatures over a length of time (~30-45 minutes) which is usually a job for a knife oven.

I'm not saying it cant be done, but it would be difficult. If you don't have an oven, I would suggest you send it out for heat treatment. There are numerous places that will do it for you for a reasonable fee.
 
In general, stainless blade steels need more control than a simple forge would provide to harden properly. You need to be able to hold precise temperatures over a length of time (~30-45 minutes) which is usually a job for a knife oven.

I'm not saying it cant be done, but it would be difficult. If you don't have an oven, I would suggest you send it out for heat treatment. There are numerous places that will do it for you for a reasonable fee.

Thanks Brad
 
I know a few guys that heat treat 440c with a torch like you would with plain carbon steels. Im sure its far from ideal but it does get hard from what I have seen. I have a oven so I have not tryed it myself.
 
I know a few guys that heat treat 440c with a torch like you would with plain carbon steels. Im sure its far from ideal but it does get hard from what I have seen. I have a oven so I have not tryed it myself.
Thanks Brett I went a head and tested a blade. I ran my forge at 1200 for twenty minutes then oil quenched it in 130 degree oil. It came out pretty hard,I don't have a hardness tester but my test file wont even try to grab the steel at all. I am tempering right know. THANKS AGAIN.

Billy
 
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