Too thin to heat treat?

[diverdale]

Got a little frisky with the file and now I have a grind that has a pretty thin edge. I hit it on with the sander a bit and it looks better. What’s the thinnest you’d put in the forge?

 

[Doug Lester]

Most would say the thickness of a dime but it also depends on the alloy you're using and the size of the grain.

Doug

 

[diverdale]

Most would say the thickness of a dime but it also depends on the alloy you're using and the size of the grain.

Doug

1080B it’s about 1/2 a dime maybe 2/3

 

[tmr]

maybe you should use the oxy/act torch and do an edge quench........you can control the heat a lot safer......very easy to warp those thin blades heating in the forge.......added bonus is you will get a cool hamon

 

[diverdale]

maybe you should use the oxy/act torch and do an edge quench........you can control the heat a lot safer......very easy to warp those thin blades heating in the forge.......added bonus is you will get a cool hamon

I have a map gas propane torch ... that work for this?

 

[tmr]

probably would work on a smaller blade 3 or 4 inch if it is as thin as you say......always better with the oxy /act

 

[diverdale]

probably would work on a smaller blade 3 or 4 inch if it is as thin as you say......always better with the oxy /act

Yeah it’s a small blade .. I’m in the process of building a proper shop and will have more room for tools...should be all online come springtime

 

[opaul]

You can always grind/file a little of the edge off. It doesn’t take much to add a little more thickness.

 

[Bruce McLeish]

You can always grind/file a little of the edge off. It doesn’t take much to add a little more thickness.

That's the approach I would try first.

 

[diverdale]

You can always grind/file a little of the edge off. It doesn’t take much to add a little more thickness.

I have done a little ... might try another bit see how it goes. Thanks guys for the advice

 

[diverdale]

Took a little material off the edge and it heat treated fine

 

[opaul]

Took a little material off the edge and it heat treated fine

Glad it worked out!

 

[diverdale]

Glad it worked out!

Me too ... I’ve read bad things about “too thin” thanks for caring

 

[opaul]

Me too ... I’ve read bad things about “too thin” thanks for caring

Well I pushed the envelope on one and the edge ended up looking like a cross section of a Ruffle potato chip

 

[Chris Railey]

I have run more than one edge perpendicular to my contact wheel to “thicken” that edge a little before HT.