Heat treating a 4" wide cleaver that won't fit vertically in the oven- what are my best options?

[Heikki]

Like the title says. I'll be attempting to make my first cleaver by request. It will be from 1084, 3/16" stock. It won't fit in the oven vertically, so what's the best option for HT it? Can it lay on the oven floor? Should I take the ceramic pins out of the HT stand and lay it on that? I haven't been able to find anything relating to this issue so thought I'd ask others. Maybe I'm overthinking this.

 

[Bruce McLeish]

make it a 3 inch cleaver.

 

[Chris Railey]

Do you have a forge or an oxy/acetylene torch?

 

[Heikki]

Do you have a forge or an oxy/acetylene torch?

I've got an Atlas mini forge...about a 2" opening. No torch. Thinking Bruce may be right and I'll have to redesign it. I might be able to get it at an angle in the oven using the stand. My assumption is the air/heat needs to flow around the whole piece so laying on its side would not be good.

 

[Chris Railey]

Could you remove the burner from the forge and temporarily safely mount it in a way that you could use it like a torch just moving the blade back and forward in the flame?

 

[tkroenlein]

I think I'd try it laying on its side, but up on some type of supports to limit contact but also keep it supported. Other folks surely have to do this successfully, what with the cleavers and hatchets.

 

[Heikki]

I think I'd try it laying on its side, but up on some type of supports to limit contact but also keep it supported. Other folks surely have to do this successfully, what with the cleavers and hatchets.

I made a mock up and pulled all the inside pegs from the stand, leaving the outboard ones. I think it will work.

 

[Daniel Macina]

Is sending it out for heat treat an option?

 

[Smallshop]

Could you tilt the oven at 45 degrees so the knife rest vertical from corner to corner?

 

[John Wilson]

I’ve done big cleavers and such on their side. Not had an issue.

 

[Heikki]

I’ve done big cleavers and such on their side. Not had an issue.

Thanks John. I guess I was just looking for some reassurance that I wasn't going to mess it up.

 

[John Wilson]

Thanks John. I guess I was just looking for some reassurance that I wasn't going to mess it up.

If it was very thin I’d probably rotate sides through a couple of heats to even out the stresses, but honestly i’ve never had a problem. The stuff I do in that size is .110 or thicker and ground post heat treat. I don’t flip it.