what is Austenizing?

[Knifemaker87]

noob question here
was lookign at steel specs and they all bandy about the term "Austenizing" but what is it? is this missing link? is this what i have been doing wrong ...or err... one of the things i have been doing wrong? or is it just another name for what i am already doing? i dont know.
thanks for the help
~Chris

 

[rifon2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austenite

 

[Karl B. Andersen]

read this:
http://www.dfoggknives.com/hardening.htm

Then, this is a good one to describe the various steels for you:

http://www.wut2c.com/Knowledge/Metals/steel.htm

Here's a good one by Kevin Cashen:
http://www.knivesby.com/knifemaking-Kevin-Cashen-treating-1084.html.

Reading these will give you a better idea of what you are doing when heat treating.

 

[Morrow]

noob question here
was lookign at steel specs and they all bandy about the term "Austenizing" but what is it? is this missing link? is this what i have been doing wrong ...or err... one of the things i have been doing wrong? or is it just another name for what i am already doing? i dont know.
thanks for the help
~Chris

you're not experimenting on my knife are you?

back to work!!!!

 

[mete]

Spell it right"austenitizing" , all it means is to heat the steel to a temperature to form austenite !! This is the first part of hardening.