Adlai Stein Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 (edited) You ever have one of those pieces that you just feel compelled to finish even though it is far under par? Well this was one of those. The 5160 blade warped a bit on me during HT so I straightened out in the forge and re quenched it. Looks like the second time worked. So I cleaned it polished and as was about to handle it I noticed the warp had some how crept back in. I've never had that happen before. Has anyone else been through this and know why it happened? Despite the problems I decided to handle it anyway so I could play with some walnut scraps a buddy of mine gave me. Here it is warped and all. The over all length is 15-1/2" a blade length of 10-1/2" the width is 1-1/4" Thanks for looking and as always comments and criticisms are welcome. Edited March 27, 2008 by Adlai Stein Adlai Klatu Baratta Necktie! Macabee Knives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 (edited) NICE! Mean cutter I bet warp or not! Edited March 27, 2008 by Sam Salvati Let not the swords of good and free men be reforged into plowshares, but may they rest in a place of honor; ready, well oiled and God willing unused. For if the price of peace becomes licking the boots of tyrants, then "To Arms!" I say, and may the fortunes of war smile upon patriots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike desensi Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I get warping problems in My clayed stuff that has a thinner spine maybe you should have normalized the blade befor the second H/T you may try to straighten it now , if so good luck! all in all I agree with Sam bend or not it still looks like a wicked cutter!!! ~M~ Member: Cal Knives Practioner: Suio Ryu Iai Kenpo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottB Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 I haven't had a warpage problem myself, but I've heard of post heat treat warping happening now and then... sometimes a fair amount of time after it was heat treated. My own 'repeat' problem wasn't warpage... I had a piece of new steel that had been scratched or creased somewhere along the line of its life in storage. No big deal I figured, just grind it out and heat treat the blade. So, I ground it out, heat treated the blade and found the same mark had returned. I kid you not... I thought I must have had magical gremlins at work on that one. Ended up making another blade from new steel with no flaws and had no troubles. But that was aggravating... It has sort of made me think steel sometimes has a bit of memory of its own and will act up if given a chance. lol Btw, warped or not, I like the flow of that blade shape there. I've been intending to do similarly profiled blades for some time but have not found time... They just look mean... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adlai Stein Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 Thanks guys. Despite the warp I really did like how it turned out. Mike, You may have something there I don't think I annealed after I restraightened the blade. I went straight into quench but again I would have expected it to have warped right away and not slowly retake the shape. By the way This was new steel and not some curve that came from it's previous life as a spring. Adlai Klatu Baratta Necktie! Macabee Knives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Longmire Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Ah, a little warpage never hurt anyone. Heck, I've been warped for years! I really like this one, it has a good flow to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CProkopp Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Just call it a Sycariot's hideaway throat-cutter! That group of unpleasant fellows used to hide a curved-blade dagger in their sashes where the Roman occupiers wouldn't spot them. "I'm not anti-gun. I'm pro-knife." Molly Ivins NT Limpin' Cat Prokopp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Norris Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Pretty knife, Adlai. Too bad about the warp. I was looking through some old posts yesterday and ran across something that may shed some light on this. Hard to know without more particulars on exactly what was done to this blade. For 5160, heat the blade to just above critical, and let it cool slowly inside the forge or furnace chamber. Do not air cool 5160 to normalize. If the blade warps, restraighten and repeat the normalizing process. "Air cooling blades from oil hardening steels will likely result in hard spots,... incomplete, abnormal or improper normalization!!!" This post has been edited by Tai: Apr 4 2005, 02:22 PM This can be particularly difficult to pin down if it happens because, thicker blades or warmer weather may prevent it. In this case I suspect you had just the right combination of a long, thin blade and cool weather. Another of the usual suspects is setting the blade down on a surface, such as a cold anvil, that acts as a heat sink and cools one side of the blade faster than the other. I have had my own share of difficulties with 5160 blades from time to time because of its ability to air harden in thin sections. Mine involved a dull drill bit that heated up the thin bit of metal at the bottom of the hole to the point that when I stopped drilling, the surrounding metal acted as a heat sink and that little bit hardened. I bought a few new, and sharper, drill bits but, they just wouldn't touch the stuff! Eventually, a neighbor with an oxy/propane torch helped out and we drew a temper a few times on the piece and then it drilled like butter. ~Bruce~ “All work is empty save when there is love, for work is love made visible.” Kahlil Gibran "It is easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them." - Alfred Adler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ETX Chartaine Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Never had the problem happen to me personally, but I have heard of it ... no suggestions here, sorry! I would buy the knife though. I like single edge long knives. This one with a bit of hardware reminds me of an old comic I used to read as a kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy nelson Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Bruce - you solved the mystery! I've had that happen a couple times & suspected that might be it, but your experience confirms it. I usually back off the drill when I get close to cutting thru, & that's probably when, & why, it happened. Now I know.... I was looking for an excuse to buy a shiny new drill press.... Adlai- it is a nice looking blade. I like Charlie's idea - so would this be a right-handed Sycariot's hideaway throat-cutter, or a leftie? It's a real hip-hugger either way..... BTW, have fun making the sheath!! randy "Despereaux?" "Yes...?" "You didn't cower." "It looks like a sword." "It's a CARVING KNIFE!" "It's BEAUTIFUL..." "It's DANGEROUS!" "Do... do you have any more?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted March 27, 2008 Share Posted March 27, 2008 Looks good to me. I am right handed so the warp would cause only small problems.. My thoughts on the warping. I can not tell for sure from the pictures but the middle of the blade looks thinner than front or back. Any wind current at all would cause it to pull. Even if you started in the quench more on one side than the other or had aggitaion of quench more on one side. Now to help you past this problem. You need to be quick and have it on your mind that this sucker may warp. Place a softer piece of wood on top or your anvil and when you pull the blade out of the quench. You have a second or two to straighten. Use a wooden mallet on the blade and tap it straight. Then set it upright in the temper oven. Edge up or edge down, but not on its side. Hopefully this will be of a help. chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adlai Stein Posted March 27, 2008 Author Share Posted March 27, 2008 Thanks guys there is a lot of useful info there. I'll chalk it up to tempermental circumstances. It was pretty chilly (low 40's)the day I quenched it. Although the oil was nice and warm (about 125) the transition through the air could have cooled some of the thinner parts too quickly. Bruce, I have definately had that drill bit problem both with 5160 and O-1. It's agrivating as hell. Adlai Klatu Baratta Necktie! Macabee Knives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Stagmer Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Looks like it would do the job. Glad to see I am not the only one that uses just about everything even if it turns out different then I planned. "ART SHOULD HURT" www.BaltimoreKnife.com BKS' Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adlai Stein Posted April 2, 2008 Author Share Posted April 2, 2008 I was hoping to use it as a cutter this weekend but it's a bit too long. Adlai Klatu Baratta Necktie! Macabee Knives Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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