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Rockwell hardness files?
- Thread starter kvehikite
- Start date
Hi kvehikite,
I'm a noob knifemaker (still) and purchased a set to help me learn, basically to make sure my process was getting me in the ballpark. I would suggest that they are accurate enough to give you a rough approximation of your hardness level but nothing more than that; they are about 5 points between files.
Hope that's helpful.
Darren
I'm a noob knifemaker (still) and purchased a set to help me learn, basically to make sure my process was getting me in the ballpark. I would suggest that they are accurate enough to give you a rough approximation of your hardness level but nothing more than that; they are about 5 points between files.
Hope that's helpful.
Darren
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
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If you have a piece of steel and have no idea what the hardness might be, then the files will narrow that gap. Other than telling you if it is hardened and roughly how hard ( very roughly), they are of no use for anything more accurate. Also, the teeth become dulled a bit when tested on steel harder than the file, so they also become less accurate as they get used.
If you just hardened a knife blade, you already know it is hardened. It is likely between Rc 55 and Rc 65.
If you know the steel type, and harden the blade with the right HT methods and quenchant, the as hardened blade is likely between Rc 63 and Rc 65. A regular file will skate along this edge with no biting in .
If you tempered the blade appropriately, it is likely between Rc 58 and Rc 62. A regular file will just barely bite ( or still skates) along the hardened edge.
If you did those things........ you already know as much as the test files would have indicated.
Testing the edge in cutting, chopping, and a brass rod test will allow you to fine tune your temper to get a perfect blade......all without a $1000 Rockwell tester. People make a lot of talk about the Rc of their blades, but in truth, any blade between Rc 54 and Rc 62 will cut well. The difference is in having the edge geometry balance with the hardness. That is the perfect edge, not an Rc number.
If you just hardened a knife blade, you already know it is hardened. It is likely between Rc 55 and Rc 65.
If you know the steel type, and harden the blade with the right HT methods and quenchant, the as hardened blade is likely between Rc 63 and Rc 65. A regular file will skate along this edge with no biting in .
If you tempered the blade appropriately, it is likely between Rc 58 and Rc 62. A regular file will just barely bite ( or still skates) along the hardened edge.
If you did those things........ you already know as much as the test files would have indicated.
Testing the edge in cutting, chopping, and a brass rod test will allow you to fine tune your temper to get a perfect blade......all without a $1000 Rockwell tester. People make a lot of talk about the Rc of their blades, but in truth, any blade between Rc 54 and Rc 62 will cut well. The difference is in having the edge geometry balance with the hardness. That is the perfect edge, not an Rc number.