What in the heck is this?!

[Jon Buescher]

This an old file that I forged to shape. I did some filing and sanding and just cleaned off the gunk from quenching it. Heated to non metallic and quenched in very warm motor oil (I know I know vegetable oil..,,) what are these marks? I can feel them with my fingernail? I sanded the bevels smooth with 300 grit and cleaned the whole blade prior to quenching, did I get bubbles in the oil?

 

[Justin Presson]

Maybe got a little hot during heat treat and blistered?

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

Hard to say exactly given the nature of the item, but were it a known steel type, I would venture to say it's element segregation.....which usually occurs from too high at heat, for too long a duration.

 

[Jon Buescher]

So more garbage than it already was?

 

[Jon Buescher]

The only known steel I have on hand is precision ground 0-1.... 2”x1/8”

 

[Kevin Zito]

So more garbage than it already was?

Lol

 

[Drew Riley]

Heated to non metallic...

I think THAT may be your problem...

In all seriousness and likely hood, you probably just overheated it. Being that it's at the tip, where it's gonna heat the fastest, I'd almost bet on it.

Try heating the tip last next time.