Heat treat oven questions

[Taz]

Bubbles usually means scale/decarb. Scale often pops off in the quench, but not always? I had a 1095 blade puff out like 1" from each side of the blade and the scale fell off during the quench.

 

[jll346]

20 minute soak has just made a huge difference

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

The thickness you state should be fine in AAA.

Just to be clear, I said both #50 and AAA will work for 80CrV. You might get a little more hardness on a thicker knife from #50, but even a thicker knife quenched in AAA will harden and be a good knife.