Graphite spray...

bladegrinder

bladegrinder

Well-Known Member
Anyone here ever tried graphite spray on high carbon blades prior to heat treating to prevent decarb-scaling ?
I've been reading a little bit about it and might try it.
 
Yep, I've used https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0094IZ3BA/ for carbon steel and it works really good. I've also used for AEB-L at 1975°F and it works pretty good. While I can't point to any real negatives for SS use, I'm using SS foil since I normally use Hoss's 1725°F pre-heat method of HT for AEB-L.

For carbon steel, I really like it.
 
Thanks Ken, I thought it was you that I read had used it on another forum and on the guy's website that had his process wrote up.
it sounds like there may be a little experimenting as far as the thickness of the coating but at the same time it's not rocket science.
I'm going to get a can and try it on some 1075 in a few days.
when I do, I'll post my results here.
 
I think you'll like it. easy to use - just spray a couple of coats letting dry a few minutes between coats and it seems to work good. Be sure to post results.
 
I don't know yet myself but I just bought a can at Homeless depot for under $5.00
from what I've read of it, it takes anywhere from 120 grit to 400 to remove it.
 
I really don't know - Except for profiling I usually do most all grinding post HT, so the coating gets removed during grinding operations. Typically, I might do a light pass with the SGA to really clean up the profiled blade post HT, and do this if using SS foil or graphite. I don't do any "clean up" of the profiled blade pre-HT, wait until after HT for that step. If I've forged the blade (not often) then it does get cleaned up with SGA prior to profiling the blade.
 
Ok, so I tried the graphite spray. first let me explain what I myself was trying to achieve.
for 1075 I normally grind the blade about 50-75 percent then finish after heat treat. obviously there's scale after quenching but there's also a thin
layer of decarb that looks clean after removing the scale but it's there. it will show in a rockwell test and any etching done to the blade.
I was looking to get around this to avoid having to grind on the tang where my mark is, the marks not too deep so I was hoping this might be the fix.
it isn't....

While this didn't accomplish what I wanted it may for others. it may work for stainless, I can't say because I use stainless wrap on my stainless blades and don't plan on changing things up there.
The blade I have pictured below is satin finished so.....to that end I'll say the graphite spray came off easily compared to scale but to me I'm not sure it was really worth the effort, or the added cost of the graphite spray.

There's definitely decarb below the scale, that's what I was trying to avoid...oh well, I tried it for my purpose and it didn't work for me.
Below is the blade with three light coats of graphite spray, and after...cleaned up to 320 grit.
the rockwell test on the tang read 57-58, further back you can see where I ground down a little, at that point I got two readings of 61-62.

tq72ZUF.jpg


1cilEC5.jpg
 
I think it would work great for that, I first tried it on some scrap steel just to check the stuff out and it adheres good to steel, and obviously withstands high heat.
 
Hey, Steve. I had a post a couple of weeks ago about using ATP-641 anti-scale for the first time. I was looking for the same solution. I wanted to be able to hand sand my ricasso to 220 before heat treat, and not get any decarb that would require grinding after ht. I got good results from that. You might want to check it out. It's only about $19 from Brownell's.

After heat treat, I tempered, and hand sanded back to a 220 finish, then checked hardness and I was right where I wanted to be. I haven't seen any decarb.
 
Steve, good catch on the decarb, I never checked for decarb. Since I do most all my bevel type grinding post-HT decarb never really entered into the equation. Any decarb was ground off with normal grinding.
 
Casey Brown said:
Hey, Steve. I had a post a couple of weeks ago about using ATP-641 anti-scale for the first time. I was looking for the same solution. I wanted to be able to hand sand my ricasso to 220 before heat treat, and not get any decarb that would require grinding after ht. I got good results from that. You might want to check it out. It's only about $19 from Brownell's.

After heat treat, I tempered, and hand sanded back to a 220 finish, then checked hardness and I was right where I wanted to be. I haven't seen any decarb.
Click to expand...
Casey, I plan on getting some of that next and try it out. I know Stan Wilson uses it on his Damascus folder blades and that's where I'd really like trying that product. I'm looking forward to trying it on straight up carbon steel blades too.
as for the stainless, I'm just sticking to foil for that. I've been using it for so long and never had any issues.

KenH said:
Steve, good catch on the decarb, I never checked for decarb. Since I do most all my bevel type grinding post-HT decarb never really entered into the equation. Any decarb was ground off with normal grinding.
Click to expand...
Ken, I finish my bevels after heat treat too so that removes any decarb left on the blade area, but when I etched them the acid reacted differently on the tang, requiring me to grind the tang after heat treat. while my mark was still very good it kind of gave me the willies grinding over my makers mark to get a good effect from the ferric chloride.

One other thing, I use quite a bit of Alabama Damascus and put about a 75 % grind on the bevels for them to before heat treat.
I've noticed if there's ANY micro flaws in the welds in that damascus - or should I say inclusions, any scale from heat treating will intensify them big time. I usually leave enough thickness to grind past any of that but it bothers me on the first couple passes on the grinder to see what effect that scale had on the steel.
 
I can't add much to the graphite spray conversation, except to say that the results/lack of clean up work required is very similar to salt tank heat treating..... and is one big reason I really like the salt tank.
 
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