List of acceptable Heat Treaters....

He also had some phone/email issues as well. Glad to hear his family is doing ok!
 
Update:
I thinned out my edges more, and sent 10 blades off to Paul Bos Heat Treating.
Tomorrow, they will have my blades now for two weeks.
I wasn't expecting them right away, but I was hoping for some form of conformation that they received them..... Tracking says they did.
I left them with all needed info about me and the work requested. Maybe they didn't have any questions about everything

I hope I am not lost.
I miss the blades already, and want to order more steel, but I want to wait until I see the results in case I need to do anything differently?
;/
 
Hi Crag, I've used Paul Bos exclusively for several years. They don't send confirmations of receipt or shipping but three weeks is typical. When there's any issues Paul F will call, he's called me a couple of times. Don't hesitate to call, usually goes to voice mail but he will call back and is very easy to talk to. Can't say enough good stuff about those guys.
 
John Cahoon said:
Hi Crag, I've used Paul Bos exclusively for several years. They don't send confirmations of receipt or shipping but three weeks is typical. When there's any issues Paul F will call, he's called me a couple of times. Don't hesitate to call, usually goes to voice mail but he will call back and is very easy to talk to. Can't say enough good stuff about those guys.
Click to expand...
Thank you, this is Great to hear.
I'm in no hurry, but I was kinda expecting some form of contact. :)
It's my first time with him

I've got a list of steels in my head that I want to experiment with. I'm still filtering out what he can do? I see he is doing oil hardening steels under a foot long.
I think I read somewhere/here that certain steels he won't do because of the higher temps needed?

Thanks again.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
I've got a list of steels in my head that I want to experiment with. I'm still filtering out what he can do? I see he is doing oil hardening steels under a foot long.
I think I read somewhere/here that certain steels he won't do because of the higher temps needed?
Click to expand...
Great opportunity to call, introduce yourself and ask about that and your current status. I think I sent him a 13-14" once and he got it done somehow, but did mention 12" is his sweet spot.
 
Update:. Maybe a week or so after the suggestions here I contacted Bos.

They were quick to response.
They are Behind. They shut down for 2 weeks in the summer.
Their website gave a two month window for that. I paid rush shipping to get their just in time for them not to look at my blades....ugh. (learning lesson)

He was also out for something personal health wise for another week.

This is my first order from them. Idk what to expect?
I was about to contact them when suddenly I got a box in the mail from them.
No shipping notice, no invoice, no bill, no confirmation that they did what I asked?

Ok.... I gave them 3 different steels, two different hardness levels.
I noted that this is my first time with them, and that I'm not an expert with this.
I suggested they temper/cryo/whatever is needed as they are the Experts.

I have no idea what was done.....


How they looked after heat treating.

Then I got busy.


And then This happened.
A2
3seconds, three little taps into wood. Not even Whacked yet, just setting up the wood.








I contacted Paul. Again he was quick to response. Offered to re temper the A2, and AEB-L blades. He doesn't feel the 3v ones would need it.

I didn't want to go through the ordeal again, waiting two months about the first time..... I tempered them at work, myself at 425F for two, 2 hour cycles.

The second knife lasted a lot longer...... before it broke.
I reground that edge into a new knife with a thicker, shorter blade.

I already talked it over some with some more experienced knife makers.
Thanks for their help.
I have some ideas of what I will do differently next time.
Still a lot of Fog with this batch though. Lots of unknowns.
Their was no testing on my blades, I wonder if I just got some generic heat treatment, all the steels the same?
That's not what I was expecting with all the praise they get here.
Now I know why people buy their own kilns.

I still have to pay them, they should get my check next week.
Hopefully the rest of these blades don't break before then...haha!

This last week l dropped this batch, and have been making knives out of power hack saw blades. Thanks S Seedy Lot .
I'm on my 5th one, now. They really kick ass.
Better than professionally heat treat A2.
 
A question for those who farm out HT these days:

Are the above examples typical of what's received back from the HTer? Is the finish out of vacuum HT/nitrogen quecnh quite alloy dependent or something? I am surprised at the appearance of Crag's blades, and the varieties of fugly.

I sent two batches of blades to Bos back about 1983 from a mix of 440C and ATS34. They all came back home looking a light goldish gray, sorta cool color compared to nevelope-style. I likely still have a couple hanging, never used.

Very interesting conundrum. 'Luck figgerin' it out, Crag!
 
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I had three dozen-ish HT’d just before JT’s family grew. A few weeks ago I started looking for someplace to fill in until he is back. Saw this thread and decided to bite the bullet and ordered everything I would need for HT, Cryo, Temper and hardness testing in-shop. Anything I don’t need right away I am setting aside until JT is back and the things needed now I can take care of myself. Crazy busy out there, seems like.
 
fitzo said:
A question for those who farm out HT these days:

Are the above examples typical of what's received back from the HTer? Is the finish out of vacuum HT/nitrogen quecnh quite alloy dependent or something? I am surprised at the appearance of Crag's blades, and the varieties of fugly.

I sent two batches of blades to Bos back about 1983 from a mix of 440C and ATS34. They all came back home looking a light goldish gray, sorta cool color compared to nevelope-style. I likely still have a couple hanging, never used.

Very interesting conundrum. 'Luck figgerin' it out, Crag!
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The darker, purple ones are 3v
The goldenish ones A2
The bottom one is AEB-L

A note to my blades. All of them are straight. Other than the color they look just like I sent them. I was actually kinda happy seeing them, but I wasn't sure what to expect..... I was able to use the cleaner Barkeeper's Friend to remove all the coloring off pretty easy on the A2.

*If you look closely on the one A2, it looks like it must of been on a conveyor with a metal mesh belt.
 
DanF DanF congrats on the new purchases! I’m still kicking around whether I pick up a dewar or not.

As for JT, he’s back in action. I just got a 60 blade order back from him I sent over in mid July!
 
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