A2 steel heat treat at home

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Hot sauce 2884

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Dec 30, 2018
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Hi, first post here but I’ve come here for awhile for information. I’ve been making my own knives as a hobby for a couple of years now. I generally stick with O1 or 1095. I’ve had success with both. I recently was mistakenly shipped a piece of A2. From what I read the process of hardening this steel seems excessive. I heat treat with a simple propane torch into a small fire brick forge. I don’t have the ability to raise the temperature at increments or for hours at a time. Most hardening info I can find suggests heating no more than 400 degrees per hour up to just below critical temperature prior to raising the temperature to approximately 1700 degrees.

Is it possible to still heat treat this steel in a simple propane forge? Can I treat this like O1 where I bring it to a temperature where it is no longer magnetic and then just let it cool in room air? Will this cause problems with my steel if I do it this way? Thanks for the help!
 
You need a kiln to heat treat it. There’s no way to do it effectively in a forge.
 
I will be the rebel and say it can be done in a forge. BUT, and it’s a huge BUT it’s not your avarage forge. We are talking Pid controlled vertical or ribbon burner forge with complete control of temp. You then will need to foil wrap the blade. Adjust the forge so it’s runnjng alittle rich so you don’t burn through the foil. Also using a muffle tube to even the heat more will help. Don’t get me wrong I dont advocate going this direction but I have personally used it to heat treat a small pairing knife out of A2. It is one of my wife’s favorite kitchen knives and holds a fantastic edge. But that being said how much better would it be if I know what I know now and have the Equipement I have.
 
Hot sauce 2884 said:
Hi, first post here but I’ve come here for awhile for information. I’ve been making my own knives as a hobby for a couple of years now. I generally stick with O1 or 1095. I’ve had success with both. I recently was mistakenly shipped a piece of A2. From what I read the process of hardening this steel seems excessive. I heat treat with a simple propane torch into a small fire brick forge. I don’t have the ability to raise the temperature at increments or for hours at a time. Most hardening info I can find suggests heating no more than 400 degrees per hour up to just below critical temperature prior to raising the temperature to approximately 1700 degrees.

Is it possible to still heat treat this steel in a simple propane forge? Can I treat this like O1 where I bring it to a temperature where it is no longer magnetic and then just let it cool in room air? Will this cause problems with my steel if I do it this way? Thanks for the help!
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A2 is a great steel. Make your knife and send it out for HT. In the post just above mine I think there is some info regarding that.
 
It needs to be held at ~1750F for 20-30 minutes and "should" be at least sub zero quenched due to the relatively high % of retained austenite. I would highly recommend using a different steel if you are heat treating with a forge, even if it's PID controlled.
 
A2 really likes Liquid Nitrogen, the hitch is that it wants it ASAP after the quench.
 
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