Final Edge Thickness Before HT

Trust

Member
So I've been working on my 1st knife and have the edge to 1/16" thickness and was wondering if I needed to stop there and send it out for HT now or go ahead and bring the final edge a little closer to finish. Please keep in mind all my work for the bevels and edge is being done with files.
 
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i am rather new to the knife building....but on my first knife i took down to about .020 and rounded it a bit with some 320 grit. the heat treat was commercially done, and the blade is D2 at 59r/c. everything was good. randy.
 
With air hardening or stainless steels you can usually go within .010-.020 of final thickness before HT. With oil hardening alloys you generally want to leave a little more meat at the edge. If it were oil hardening I would say stop before you get much thinner, but with 440 you should be able to go pretty close.
 
also round any sharp corners on the blade, including the holes.....any sharp corner or edge, as sharp corners in any metal getting a HT process will produce stress risers, and may initialize a crack. randy.
 
also round any sharp corners on the blade, including the holes.....any sharp corner or edge, as sharp corners in any metal getting a HT process will produce stress risers, and may initialize a crack. randy.

Much appreciated! This is something I was not aware of or had even thought about.
 
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no problem trust.....even though I'm new to knife making, i have been in tool and die for over 30 years, and have lots of experence with heat treat, lols. good luck with your build. randy.
 
On my air hardening steels, I take the edge to finished thickness and hand sand to 220 grit before sending it out. When it comes back, I clean off the discoloration from heat treating with 220 grit and go from there. I don't do any grinding after heat treat on most of my air hardening steels, with the exception being some kitchen knives and filet knives I've made of 1/16" stock. I send them out after they're profiled but without the bevels ground.

Todd
 
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