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Thread: My new toy

  1. #1
    Razorsmith JoshEarl's Avatar
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    Default My new toy

    When I got home this afternoon, there was a huge box on my front porch. Inside was my new heat treating furnace from Sugar Creek Industrial. :

    The interior is about 10x8x6". I opted for the 110v version, although I do have 220v in my shop. Getting up to normalizing and hardening temps for carbon steels takes about 30 minutes--not bad at all.

    I got the one with the manual control for now; I'll probably add the PID control later so I don't have to baby sit it. It held the temperature within 20 degrees or so once I got it in the ballpark.

    Hardened three O1 blades with it this evening--by far the most enjoyable, least stressful heat treatments I've done. The blades came out beautifully--the small amount of scale was blasted clean in the quench, which is usually a sign that the steel hardened nicely.

    I'm a happy bladesmith.

    Josh
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  3. #2
    Scale Maniac BKratchmer's Avatar
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    Now THAT looks like a fun toy...

    I'd be learning to make razors if I had something like that sitting in my shop... or maybe I'd just be hardening all of the family's stainless steel tableware...

  4. #3
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    Congrats Josh, I'll have to start saving for another Clearbrook Forge razor.
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  5. #4
    Comfortably Numb Del1r1um's Avatar
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    Sweet! Does this mean no more HT from the forge? I've been going back and forth about getting a small forge (besides the coal forge I built) and saving for a furnace. Then when things get really crazy I look at salt pots... so many choices, so little money

  6. #5
    Senior Member 2knives's Avatar
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    Nice! I've not seen a convection forge before... I've worked with a coal forge all of my life and just not got a propane forge from NC Forge. I guess I am way behind the times.

  7. #6
    Razorsmith JoshEarl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Del1r1um View Post
    Sweet! Does this mean no more HT from the forge? I've been going back and forth about getting a small forge (besides the coal forge I built) and saving for a furnace. Then when things get really crazy I look at salt pots... so many choices, so little money
    If you're mainly interested in heat treating, I'd recommend the furnace. I love my forge and will continue to use it for... well... forging, but it was difficult to do good heat treatments in it. I've junked a bunch of blades lately that didn't harden properly for one reason or another. I think you have less margin for error with razors. A less-than-ideal heat treatment on a knife will be more functional than a razor at the same suboptimal hardness level.

    It's hard for me to hold my forge at 1500 degrees F. I have to pretty much turn the gas off, and it starts to sputter.

    Another advantage is that it's easier to soak blades for a few minutes to allow the carbon to dissolve fully.

    Josh

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    Del1r1um (08-16-2010), spazola (04-01-2010)

  9. #7
    Senior Member blabbermouth coachmike's Avatar
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    Congrats Josh!!! I know the feeling and satisfaction of getting a new toy to help with any love we may have. Enjoy it and start turning out more of your beauties.
    Having Fun Shaving

  10. #8
    Senior Member blabbermouth spazola's Avatar
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    The furnace looks great, it looks like you will be doing some mighty fine heat treating.

    Charlie

  11. #9
    Hones & Honing randydance062449's Avatar
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    That will allow you to do a bunch of different things very accurately. Anneal, normalize, heat treat, temper. Good purchase!
    Randolph Tuttle, a SRP Mentor for residents of Minnesota & western Wisconsin

  12. #10
    aka shooter74743 ScottGoodman's Avatar
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    All I can do is drool!! Nice, very nice...
    Southeastern Oklahoma/Northeastern Texas helper. Please don't hesitate to contact me.
    Thank you and God Bless, Scott

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