Heat Treating 440c Stainless Steel

wmhammond

wmhammond

Well-Known Member
Hey guys:

I'll be posting pictures of my third knife in the next few days. I tell you that so you can see what a nubee I am. All of my knives (both of them)have been made from 1095 & 15N20 Damascus which I have heat treated myself (heated to non-magnetic and quenched in 10% brine solution). Now I am grinding my first 3/32" 440c Stainless Steel kitchen knife. The question is: Can I heat treat it myself? I use a propane, two jet, commercially purchased oven with no temperature control or thermometer inside. I'm sure I'm way over my head here but I am just learning and I am not selling any knives I've made so if I screw it up initially I only out my time and the cost of the material - it's not life or death. With that in mind, can someone give me a DIY version of heat treating Stainless that I can play around with and learn from. On the other hand, if there isn't any possibility of me even getting it close to right, I'll just send 'em out. Thanks for your help.

Wallace
 
Send them out. Stainless needs precise temp control such as a kiln will provide. It also requires shielding from oxygen such as foil wrap to protect the steel. Temps are close to 2000f for most stainless steels. After cooling most also need sub zero or cryogenic, ie. dry ice and acetone mix, or liquid nitrogen to deal with retained austentite. I have done a handful of stainless blades, and it isn't hard. You just need the right equipment, and it's expensive.
 
I agree. I have been sending all of my stainless and tool steel blades to Paul Bos at Buck Knives since 1997.
There are other places. 440C is a great all around cutlery stainless steel.
 
mate , i have a rep of a do it yourself guy , cept one exception , 440C , i send mine to a specialist vacuum heat treat place , serious , you cant get near what a $150,000 vacuum heater treat place can do , botch 440 at home and you have a shiny butter knife ( as thats all its good for ) if ya butters not too hard that is

do a batch , 5-10 or get friends who make and get em together and save some $$$, quantity will save you a heap ..

most places have a minimum cost , so 1 knife will cost you that min , my guy here is $70 min..

so i do a heap and send em all at once , so for 45 blades that i sent monday i'll am billed $210 or $4.60 per blade

( plus shipping but i'm a long ways outta town eh ;) )

vacuum heat treat no serious clean up , perfect temper , do your edge , fit your handle bolsters etc , and away you go

cheers and good luck ..
 
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