Heat Treating CPM 154

Jim Adams Customs

Well-Known Member
I tried to heat treat couple of CPM154 blades and they only harden to about 41 RC. I could use all the help I can get. What is the best way to heat treat it.
 
Last edited:
This is my HT for 154cm and ATS-34,
I put them in the oven when it gets to about 600*F it ramps to 1250 and holds for 20 min.
After the 20 min it ramps up to 1950 for a full 45 minutes. after that I Plate quench or on small blades I will Oil Quench.
(If your gonna cryo do it here)
Then after they come out and are still warm, go strait to the Temper at 500*F for 2 hours two times.
Mind you this is how I do it and it works for me, there are other ways and Ive tried a few and this one works.
 
mine is for all purposes the same as Rusty's. I ramp up full speed to 1400, hold for 10 minutes and then ramp full speed to 1950F and hold for 30 minutes, then plate quench. It's foolproof so far.
Several questions for you.
What is your recipe?
How are you measuring the RC and are you confident of the reading?
How are you quenching?
 
Tracy
That why I called you today. We did 1950 for 35 minutes. First time air quench. Second time we did oil quench. I will do it your way tomorrow. We are using a Rockwell tester. So I trust the test. Thank you guys.
 
Silly thing, but this happened to me one time. I heat treated a knife of Aldo's 1084 for a friend. That's a pretty much fool proof operation right there. I pulled out my RC tester and it tested in the 40's. Hmmmm...changed spots, still tested in the 40's. I was getting really concerned until I realized (DOPE!) that the blade was slightly out of level on the tester table, causing the edge of the indenter surround to hit the steel before the indenter was able to fully penetrate. Leveled it out, and it worked just fine.

Anyway, that would be the nice solution, right ;). I guess the other questions are, where did you get your steel (are you sure it's what you think it is), and are you sure of the temp of your oven?

--nathan
 
I was a business trip for a couple days and covered up when I got home. I'll get caught back up tonight I hope.
 
I bring to 1450 then to 1925 for 35 minutes. Air quench. Draw at 425 for two hours twice. RC 58.

Not really any different than D2 or 440C just a little higher temp.
 
This may be a silly question but here goes. What do you do with the blades between tempers? Do you allow them to air cool to room temp or quench them again? The reason I ask is , I just got an evenheat oven , and as soon as I get it wired into my shop, I'm gonna fire it up.
 
*between* tempers, I just take them out and set them on a brick to cool to room temp and then temper again.
 
That's strange... Could you check it on a different hardness tester?
-John

John, you can see where the point is digging in. Plus you can bend it. They use the tester daily. The Rockwell is only about 41. Whatever it is it ain't got much carbon.

1st time we did 1950 for 45 minutes air quench.
2nd time we did 1950 for 45 minutes oil quench\
3rd time preheat 600. Ramp to 1400 for 20 minutes, then ramped to 1950 for 35 minutes.

It never got above 41 Rockwell. Actually the Rockwell went down to 38.
 
Someone has mixed up some steel along the way. I'm getting ready to do some CPM 154. If you want to send it to me I'll do it with mine and check the hardness to make sure but it appears you guys have already done all that can be done with it. Hopefully you don't have a bunch of that stuff.
 
The way I do 154cm is I foil wrap my blades
Bring up to 1400 hold for 1 hr and ramp up to 1975 and hold fo 20 min.
Let cool in still air until touchable Draw at 900 for 1 hour
let cool to touchable
cryo
draw again at 930 for 1 hour
RC at 61/62 consistantly for 10 years
Every blade is RC tested everytime
I got this formula from D'Holder and Phil Wilson
I don't know about CPM 154CM as I have never used it.
 
Someone has mixed up some steel along the way. I'm getting ready to do some CPM 154. If you want to send it to me I'll do it with mine and check the hardness to make sure but it appears you guys have already done all that can be done with it. Hopefully you don't have a bunch of that stuff.

Cliff, I only had 36'' of it. I only had two blades made out of it. I had some folder parts cut. it is just a pain. I should get my money back. I am not sweating it.
It must have been 4xx stainless because of it hardness of 41 Rockwell
 
Back
Top