Replies

1. 
   WorkshopJon | Dec 14, 2003 02:35am | #1

   "Can I harden cheap steel blades myself by heating with a torch and dipping in oil?"

   Web,

   In a word. No.

   All sorts of steel out there, but if they are that soft now, I doubt any tempering will help.

   Jon

2. 
   PhillGiles | Dec 14, 2003 02:51am | #2

   There are many sites around about making your own tools or black-smithing; or you may be able to find a local black-smith through the Yellow Pages. And yes, you can surface harden steel tools; BUT, the results aren't always up to expectation - most amateurs end up with a tool that'll hold an edge forever but will chip just from hitting a knot. To harden the entire tool requires a forge or HT oven/kiln.

   .

   Phill Giles

   The Unionville Woodwright

   Unionville, Ontario

1. 
   WebTrooper | Dec 14, 2003 04:11am | #3

   Thanks, that was just what the metal doctor ordered. So I searched goolle for "How to harden blades" and stumbled across this cool website, http://www.warnerknives.com/knifemaker_faq.htm. In short, get it really hot, dip it in oil to achieve 80% hardness. This is too brittle for a knife so then you have to repeat the process with a little less heat.

   To achieve nearly 100% hardness replace the oil with brine and dont repeat.~ WebTrooper ~

   "But don't take my word for it. I was wrong once and it could happen again!"

3. 
   OneofmanyBobs | Dec 14, 2003 05:04am | #4

   Yes and no.  If the blades were made with a low-carbon steel, no amount of heating and quenching will harden them.  But, you can case harden them if you want to play around.  If the blades were simply not heat treated after manufacture or were tempered too soft, you can heat and quench to harden them.  Look on the web for instructions.  To case harden, use a commercial product like Kasenite or even charcoal.  You bury the item in the carbon donor, wrap with stainless steel foil, and heat HOT like 1400 degrees for several hours.  Not simple and not worth the effort for a cheap tool.  Try the heat/quench process and see if it works.  Case hardening only hardens the outer few thousands of an inch.  Not good for items you plan to sharpen and re-sharpen.

4. 
   4Lorn2 | Dec 14, 2003 05:11am | #5

   Maybe yes. Likely no.

   Cheap tools are very often made of cheap steel. Cheap steel, typically low carbon or cast, will not quench harden sufficiently to hold much of an edge. Tempering would follow for decent steel but this is often more trouble than it is worth for the cheap stuff. Cheap tools are often irredeemable. Sometimes only good for doorstops or boat anchors.

1. 
   WebTrooper | Dec 14, 2003 05:34am | #6

   So then it boils down to this. If it's convenient I can torch and oil dip a freshly sharpened tip and it may or may not last a little longer. If I want a precission sharp tip that will stay that way, I should spend some money on a quality tool and take good care of it. Finally, if I want to hand craft my very own magic sword I should heat it to 1400 degrees while wrapped in Kasenite (or charcoal) and stainless foil.

   Well, that was fun (i.e. educational).

   Thanks for humoring me. ~ WebTrooper ~

   "But don't take my word for it. I was wrong once and it could happen again!"