Thread: Looking for the best heat treatment for O1

Just for another new maker's perspective, I have had a hard time honing O1 as well. When shaping/bevel setting with my DMT 220, I think it was fracturing the steel between grains, and one way or another, my edges were failing. On diamond film, however, (15 micron, 5 micron, 1 micron and 0.5 micron) it seemed to work.

My process is less controlled than yours (fire forged, then heat treated from fire to canola oil, and then 2 hrs at 400*F in the oven (I over-tempered a bit and the thin parts went to blue, so I ground them down by 1/4").

So maybe diamond film could work for you as well? My next step is to try a Naniwa SS 12k rather than Jnat (will have to buy that stone).