Wrapping SS for HT

Alden Cole

Alden Cole

Well-Known Member
Hi guys, hopefully a quick question, but do you need to wrap stainless steels like AEB-L and D2 (pretty much a stainless) for heat treat. And why don't you have to wrap say 10XX steels, or should you? Also whether it is neccesary to plate quench. Thank you!
 
I wrap all my stainless material to prevent decarb. Those get plate quenched.
I believe you can oil quench stainless steels but the aluminum plates work well and they help to prevent warping.

I don't wrap simple carbon steel.
My ( possibly incorrect ) reason is that those steels must be quenched very quickly ( as in a couple of seconds ) and a steel pouch would slow that down a bit.
There are far more knowledgeable folks in here who can give the actual scientific answers. ;)
 
tool wrap is used in ovens on materials that require some soak time to prevent decarb. That means stainless. Guys that are using ovens to heat treat carbon usually put them in for just a few minutes at temp and then oil quench. There is minimal time for decarb to form this way.
 
Alright, so if it is a stainless (or has a long soak time) it should be wrapped. Is this just to prevent decarb or is there another reason? Thank you!
 
decarb and excess surface scale - which is basically decarb.

Ember Knives said:
Alright, so if it is a stainless (or has a long soak time) it should be wrapped. Is this just to prevent decarb or is there another reason? Thank you!
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You do need to wrap stainless. You don't need to wrap carbon since it is in the oven only 5 minutes if that.
There are more alloys in stainless that react to the oxygen/heat than carbon steels.
I have seen some guys wrap carbon steel and oil quench with the foil still on. Be aware it really flares up with flames doing it this way. Like a lot.

Getting burning hot foil off quickly is difficult so most quench stainless using plates and quench with the foil still on.

Tool wrap is commonly used on tool or carbon steels to minimize decarb and scale but this is usually on thicker material than knives.

I have seen some guys try plate quenching carbon steel but do not have any experience doing that.

Ember Knives said:
Ok, so if you didn't care about cleaning up scale, then you wouldn't have to wrap?
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I like to coat carbon steel with borax (roach powder), or I've read (but not tried) a dry graphite spray that prevents the scale from forming. Makes for LOTS easier cleanup out of the oven or forge. SS foil for SS or anything requiring high temps.
 
I do wrap all stainless for heat treat. i have a question when you temper should you also wrap? I do so me BG-42 and temper is 1050. I get quite a skin on it and wonder if I shouldn't be wrapping it to do the temper.
 
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