Oxy/Acetylene torches for heat treat?

G

Galloglas

Joined
Apr 1, 2001
Messages
138
I need your recommendations! I am using a small oxy/propane torch for heat treating small knives by clay coating the backs and running the torch on just the edge. Works good on small blades.

But now I'm moving into bigger stuff and I need a torch that is bigger and badder than the Burns-o-matic oxy/propane. I'm looking for something that can develop a *very* intense and small, compact flame...I'd rather not heat the whole blade or any more of it than I really need to heat. I've seen it done this way with oxy/acetylene rigs but neglected to get brand names or specific tip styles and such.

Can someone point me to a tutorial on learning to use a more sophisticated setup? Something that describes different tips and their flame patterns and uses?

As always, thanks in advance for any help you guys can render!

Brian
 
I started with and sometimes still use an oxy/acet. kit with a rosebud tip to heat the edged of a larger blade. It works pretty well.
 
The tip size on the torch will determine the amount of heat that the torch can deliver, within a given range. I use welding tip sizes 1, 3, and 8. I don't have all the different tip sizes as the heat range will overlap, especially when you are only heating. I use Victor equipment because it is used all over the country, is extremely high quality, and in the event that it would ever need fixing, it can be.
The clay coating on the blade only needs to be about an 1/8" thick. At one time I was putting on at least a 1/4" of clay on the blade till I saw Mike Bell do a Japanese type blade with the small amount of clay. The clay only needs to slow the cooling process down so that the whole blade doesn't get hard.
One the larger blades, when heating, I find that I really have to go back and forth quite fast as the blade gets close to critical to keep the heat even. On the big blades, a heat treat oven is the best way of heating and a large forge is next. The blade really needs to be brought up fairly evenly and uniform. When using the torch, I also save the tip till last as it heats up very quickly and that will keep from overheating it.
 
...and I thank you guys for you kind assistance!

Been searching for a couple days now and I think I have found something that will work for me. Now all I have to do is learn how to use it properly.

Thanks again.

Brian
 
It is best to more slowly heat the steel for hardening than to get it to austenitizing very quickly from cold. I would recommend slowly to moderately preheating the steel to vendor preheat specification and holding for a few minutes, then heat rather rapidly to austenitizing soak. A propane torch of adaquate output in volume of heat may be the better choice if it is a torch to be used.

RL
 
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