Thread: Overcooked?

By the chart I am reading online it looks like I may be down to rc 60 or even less!

Should I re-quench?

I think I would. If you like softer razors they might be alright, but once you do the final grind your kind of stuck with your choice.

It was on the bottom shelf of the oven, close to the element. About an hour at 350oF, and then I cranked it to 450oF for another hour. This is O1.

I also didn't soak the blades very long, because I had them held with tongs in one hand while holding the torch in the other (my old micro forge doesn't get hot enough unless everything is held just right). They were good lively orange and then quenched into canola oil.

I have zero experience with 01 that is tempered that far back. It might be OK.

On the other hand, a second quench may dissolve more of the carbides since you were unable to soak for very long.

Did you check the color at the end of the 350* period? My kitchen oven tempers to light straw when set at 350?

Do they skate a not new but not worn out file? Colors can be sometimes inexact science. I can't see the colors on the bevel/edge portions very well from these pictures. The purple is not on the working edge anyway so that's not a problem. I like the gold color, that usually speaks well of adequate hardness but it's only on the spine.

350 F would not have been bad to start, but 450 F may have been too much.

I'll check. The blades still had the carbon left on them from the quenchant.

Originally Posted by Atchbo

I'll check. The blades still had the carbon left on them from the quenchant.

You will not be able to check. I was asking about the color after tempering at 350 and before the 450.

Also these colors are oxidation colors, so the steel has to be sanded bright a little bit before heating. I always sand a bit of the blade before tempering for this reason, kind of a sanity check and a verification of my kitchen oven temp adjustment.

I meant check with the file. I didn't see much if any colour after the 350 step, which is why I went up. The rest of the razors' surfaces were sanded to 240 or 400 grit because I remember what a pain it was last time sanding hardened O1. I should have continued a bit further into the blades but thought the carbon might help reduce decarburization... Or I'm lazy!

With a proper soak, etc, 350 should give you 64-65 and 450 60-61. Of course there is a big IF in there.