7HillsBlade
Member
So I have done as much research as one can. Watched videos, read posts from countless forums, etc.. Watched Tracy's video too...
Still I have a few questions...
I am HT CPM3V, at .190 thickness for my blade as well as a back spacer at .230 thickness.
1. I am starting off with a stress relief bc I do a good bit of manual milling on the blade. Do I need to wrap the steel with foil for the stress relief? I am setting the oven at 1200 degrees and soaking it for two hours then letting it cool slowly to room temp. Also, should I put the steel in the oven while it heats to the set temp? I have read that decarburization begins to occur around 1292.
2. For the preheat.. (Steel is in SS Foil now) Should I set the pouches in the oven while it climbs to set temp, or should I wait till it reaches set temp then place the pouches in? I have read that it is better to set them in the oven while it heats to the set preheat temp and then equalize at the set temp. I have read it done both ways. Why is one chosen over the other?
3. For the "equalize" part of the preheat. I have read that a good rule of thumb is 1 hour per inch of material. If that is true I would need about 11-12 minutes to equalize at the preheat temp for the blade and about 14 minutes for the back spacer. Is this thought correct? Longer, shorter? Will I be okay if I just preheat the blade longer so that the back spacer is properly "equalized"?
4. The cryo treatment. After the steel has quenched in between my aluminum plates, removed from the pouch, how cool does the steel need to be before I can submerge it in the LN? 176 degrees? 150 degrees? 125? Room temp? I have read that the quicker it can get in the cryo the better off you will be.
5. The temper.. Same question as with the preheat. Should I set the steel in the oven while it heats to set temp, or wait for it to reach set temp then place steel in the oven?
Looking forward to learning more about this process and actually HT'ing my first steel. I just want to get the best possible results, so I ask as many detailed questions as possible. Thanks guys!!!!
Still I have a few questions...
I am HT CPM3V, at .190 thickness for my blade as well as a back spacer at .230 thickness.
1. I am starting off with a stress relief bc I do a good bit of manual milling on the blade. Do I need to wrap the steel with foil for the stress relief? I am setting the oven at 1200 degrees and soaking it for two hours then letting it cool slowly to room temp. Also, should I put the steel in the oven while it heats to the set temp? I have read that decarburization begins to occur around 1292.
2. For the preheat.. (Steel is in SS Foil now) Should I set the pouches in the oven while it climbs to set temp, or should I wait till it reaches set temp then place the pouches in? I have read that it is better to set them in the oven while it heats to the set preheat temp and then equalize at the set temp. I have read it done both ways. Why is one chosen over the other?
3. For the "equalize" part of the preheat. I have read that a good rule of thumb is 1 hour per inch of material. If that is true I would need about 11-12 minutes to equalize at the preheat temp for the blade and about 14 minutes for the back spacer. Is this thought correct? Longer, shorter? Will I be okay if I just preheat the blade longer so that the back spacer is properly "equalized"?
4. The cryo treatment. After the steel has quenched in between my aluminum plates, removed from the pouch, how cool does the steel need to be before I can submerge it in the LN? 176 degrees? 150 degrees? 125? Room temp? I have read that the quicker it can get in the cryo the better off you will be.
5. The temper.. Same question as with the preheat. Should I set the steel in the oven while it heats to set temp, or wait for it to reach set temp then place steel in the oven?
Looking forward to learning more about this process and actually HT'ing my first steel. I just want to get the best possible results, so I ask as many detailed questions as possible. Thanks guys!!!!
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