So, starting off on a new bushcraft knife, I am planning in using O-1 tool steel for my blade. Now the more I looked into it, the more I realized the hardest part would be heat treating the blade myself. Most places I looked at incorporated kilns or large furnaces to heat the blade up. Is there any way to heat treat O1 without spending $1000 in heating supplies? Is there a way to do it with some kinda of hand held torch? And, just to make sure, I need to quench it in oil, and something about tempering it at 400 degrees in an oven then letting cool to room temperature then repeating? Thanks for all of your help guys!
Working with O1
- Thread starter chren
- Start date
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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O-1 is not a steel that will do well with a torch HT. Pick 1084 for the type of HT you plan on doing. Before you do, read the stickies on metallutgy, HT, and especially the one, "Working with three steels".
This subject and HT in general are discussed almost daily in Shop Talk and Hammer and Tongs. This is the BF search engine to look for things with:
https://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra
This subject and HT in general are discussed almost daily in Shop Talk and Hammer and Tongs. This is the BF search engine to look for things with:
https://www.google.com/cse/home?cx=011197018607028182644:qfobr3dlcra