Guest guest T Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I started making a small pen knife from a 3/16 inch thick spring. I got it forged, filed, quenched, and tempered but it snapped when I bent it. today I am going to make another one with more care in quenching and tempering. it was tempered at 450 for 1 hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoy's Forge Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 keep on trying , you'll learn a new thing every time you fail. So it really isnt a failure just a delayed accomplishment. www.hoyfamily.net Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.Lu 22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. Mr 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ondřej Borský Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 Wasn´t it T.A. Edison who said to the journalist interviewing him about the light-bulb: No, I didn´t fail. I simply invented 10.000 ways how not to make a light-bulb! Keep at it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest T Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 thanks for the support, I just finished forging the new blade and am going to start filing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest T Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I got the overall shape filed now I am going to grind the bevels. the flat edge will be the blade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 That grain is pretty big, indicating it was too hot somewhere along the line. On the next one, normalize three times (that means bring it just to critical and allow to cool in still air) before you harden. No amount of tempering can save overlarge grain. If you're having trouble judging critical temperature, look at my post about 1084 in the Heat Treating by Alloy subforum, http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=26523 to see what I mean. Using a pipe is very helpful for small parts in an open fire. Good luck on the next one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake cleland Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 (edited) your grain size looks pretty big, and you don't mention normalising (heating to critical and letting air cool) prior to quenching - you want to do this 3 times to get the grain size to where you want it before heating and quenchin, or else the blade will be brittle. edit - or what Alan said... Edited October 6, 2013 by jake cleland Jake Cleland - Skye Knives www.knifemaker.co.uk "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest T Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 I normalized it only once and I think that I quenched it while it was too hot. I finished filing the new blade and now for normalizing, hopefully I will be able to evely heat it better now that I cleaned all of the ash out of my forge. I will try normalizing 3 times and heat treating the blade multiple times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest T Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 the second blade is in the oven now. here is a close up of the grain structure of the first blade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake cleland Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 i'd leave off the multiple quenches - it may help some steels, it will definitely hurt others, and it increases your chances of warping/cracking. heat treatment is not as mysterious as it's often made out to be, just a series of steps that each serve a purpose. lern to see decalescence and recalescence and use a magnet to check that you're in the ballpark... Jake Cleland - Skye Knives www.knifemaker.co.uk "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe." Albert Einstein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest T Posted October 6, 2013 Share Posted October 6, 2013 unfortunatly some of the edge was lost to scale when I was normalizing. it is going to take a while to sand out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest T Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 heat treating finished and sharpening went well. now I am gluing the handle on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest T Posted October 8, 2013 Share Posted October 8, 2013 (edited) I just finished carving the handle and so far I am pleased with the results. thank you all for helping, you all inspire me to keep trying even after I make mistakes. this knife is definetly more flexible than the last though I am reluctant to test it too much. I think this project is done until I can get some leather to start making sheaths. edit: I forgot to mention that the handle was entirely carved by my last knife: http://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=27569 Edited October 8, 2013 by Tre Asay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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