Yes I did. I don't have a heat treat kiln or furnace so I am stuck using a torch for now. (I know I know)
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Yes I did. I don't have a heat treat kiln or furnace so I am stuck using a torch for now. (I know I know)
Been my experience that cherry red is as hot as you want to go for heat treat. Quenching from there should make the steel as hard as it will go. Only wootz type steel I ever used was cable that I forged myself. Rest of the time I made my blades from L6 and oil quenched. Your quench medium should depend on the steel.
If the colors are close to true on your picture, it was way past cherry.
Best I recall another quick test is to heat it to where it's non-magnetic. That happens in the red zone.
I hope it didn't crack.
Really too hot for me too.
If you're not used to heat treat blade, the best is to have a magnet somewhere and to put the blade near the magnet very often, when you don't have any attraction, you are over 770°c.
you need to pay attention to the color when there is no more attraction. you keep the blade a bit to the fire and you quench it. The check need to be made a lot of time, becaure at 770°c the magnet won't attract the steel, but to 1000°c that is the same thing ;).
Thanks for all the info guys. And I found the Damascus for real cheap. I got a ladder and the rain drop both 1/4"x2"x36". Both for $100. Now come the hate comments haha.
Ground the blade some more today. Still not sure if it will come out. I need to get a heat treat kiln soon.
And this is why I dont start making scales, cleaning up tangs or posting pictures until after heat treat. Something about counting chickens...:w.
Seriously though, hope its working out OK for you.
Grant
Badly it wasn't meant to be cocky more of a timeline if the build. And Bruno I found it from a guy on craigslist.