Recommendation? Uk heat treating

B

Benzy50

Joined
Dec 31, 2018
Messages
12
Hi everyone i have started making my first knife and looking for someone/somewhere in the UK to send my blade for heat treating. I dont really have the funds to make a forge at the minute. Just to add im in the midlands and using 80crv2.
 
Last edited:
It would probably help to identify the steel you are using, and maybe also whereabouts in the UK you are. There's a world of difference between HT for a relatively simple Carbon steel and that for some of the high-end stainless steels. If you are using something like 1084 or even O1 (popular over here because it's much more readily available than most of the more suitable beginner steels), there's even a chance of finding someone fairly local and learning how to do it.

This is an international forum, but seems to be primarily American in terms of its members, at least here in the makers section. You may have better luck finding a Heat-Treater on the EdgeMatters forum or on a UK-specific facebook group.
 
Not to hijack, but I am in the same position. Looking for somewhere in UK that can HT a couple of blades here and there. Just basic carbon steels for me. Using 80CrV2 at the moment. Possibly 15N20 or 8670 in future to compare.
 
Thanks Benzy, I certainly will.

Thanks Stacy, I have come across many commercial heat treatment companies but haven’t found any that specifically advertise as heat treating knives, especially in very small batches. Lots of places that mention blades seem to mean machine blades/cutters specifically. Wish we had somewhere like Peters’ etc. Will keep on looking anyways. Also think BritishBlades is gone but will try others.
 
Hi patrice,
I have found someone on the edge matters forum they charge £8 per blade including Postage.
I have just had to pay for a membership so o can contact them. I will give you their details when i get them if you want.
 
Benzy50 said:
Hi patrice,
I have found someone on the edge matters forum they charge £8 per blade including Postage.
I have just had to pay for a membership so o can contact them. I will give you their details when i get them if you want.
Click to expand...
Thanks Benzy, that would be great :thumbsup:. Currently have my first 2 efforts almost ready for HT. Just need to get over the embarrassment of another human seeing them! Much appreciated.
 
Im sure they cant be too bad everything comes with practice. The guy who does the heat treatings email is; ############### he said he can do most steel.
 
Last edited:
Do you know Owen Bush? He’s a longtime smith in the UK. Try to look him up. If anyone over there knows he probably does
 
Benzy50 said:
Im sure they cant be too bad everything comes with practice. The guy who does the heat treatings email is; squidcat@hotmail.co.uk he said he can do most steel.
Click to expand...
Hi mate,

It isn't a good idea to post email addresses on open forums, certainly in the past that was a way for that address to be harvested and added to spammers mailing lists, or other undesirable lists. I am sure that Squidcat wouldn't want that.

Yeah, for the record, British Blades is long, long gone. Edge Matters is still there, although it had a big wobble and a lot (LOT) of the original people left.

Stew over on BushcraftUK offers a heat treat service.

As for affording a forge, you could start with a small propane or propane/butane plumbers torch and a soft insulating fire brick or two (grade 23 will do). The bricks are under £5 each, and not heavy, and torches can be as little as £10 off ebay. I started with a GoSystem torch kit from B&Q running on propane/butane mix. Not the best for treating O1, but good enough to get started and make something hard that would cut. Have a look for "one brick forge".

Good luck!

Chris
 
Yeap search one brick or two brick forges. Soft fire brick actually is easy to scrounge anywhere. Ceramic art kilns use the same kind of brick. Here we search craig's list but you probably have something similar. There's usually a couple in every town that are not working or no longer wanted for the cheap. Yes they have grooves for existing elements on the inside but the outside is smooth. Easily mortared together with high temp caulking or furnace cement. The type bricks you are needing can be cut with a hand saw. Along with the top and bottom are smooth on both sides and are rather large. Get the very best plumbers torch and your set. NOW I'll be the first to say it's not IDEAL but I've made a bunch of blades with simple high carbon steel when I started out that people still use daily and brag about them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top