# Might have messed up the heat treat



## Seffers93 (Sep 4, 2020)

Hey guys,

So I don’t know how, but I missed these scratches on the blade. It looks like they’re where I tested it after heat treat with a file. It felt like it skated, but apparently not. So I’m assuming I messed up the heat treat. Should I even finish this knife? I had a pretty cool handle layout that I glued together. Don’t want to waste it on a bad knife. I would ask if heat treating again would be an option but it’s already pretty thin from grinding today...

What do you guys think?

- Seth


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## Don Nguyen (Sep 4, 2020)

Test it more on the edge in a diagonal motion (almost like you were sharpening the edge), rather than the flat of the blade. Try with a couple files you don't really care about as much, and compare them to examples that you know for sure have softer steel.

Hardened steel still gets scratched and marred up; you can't really tell if it's been buggered up or not by looking at some scratches. It's difficult to tell hardness this way also, since files aren't the most ideal solution and there are a lot of variables, but checking it alongside with other pieces using multiple files can help you at least narrow it down a little bit.


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## Seffers93 (Sep 4, 2020)

Don Nguyen said:


> Test it more on the edge in a diagonal motion (almost like you were sharpening the edge), rather than the flat of the blade. Try with a couple files you don't really care about as much, and compare them to examples that you know for sure have softer steel.
> 
> Hardened steel still gets scratched and marred up; you can't really tell if it's been buggered up or not by looking at some scratches. It's difficult to tell hardness this way also, since files aren't the most ideal solution and there are a lot of variables, but checking it alongside with other pieces using multiple files can help you at least narrow it down a little bit.



I'll give that a try! Thanks for the tip!


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## HSC /// Knives (Sep 4, 2020)

You can also try cutting/chopping a small nail. If the edge is about .03 thick or so

tap/ hammer on the spine with the nail on the edge. You will know right away if the edge is hardened


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## Seffers93 (Sep 4, 2020)

So is it possible to successfully run it through the forge and heat treat again? I’ve heard of people clamping angle irons during tempering to fix warps.. assuming it would warp if I tried again.


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## Kippington (Sep 6, 2020)

Seffers93 said:


> So is it possible to successfully run it through the forge and heat treat again?


It is possible, but how much grinding have you done to the blade since the first quench? If you got the edge much thinner, you wont be able to re-heat treat.

I hate to say it, but that sharp point you've got going on at the heel looks mighty dangerous for the user...


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## Seffers93 (Sep 6, 2020)

Kippington said:


> It is possible, but how much grinding have you done to the blade since the first quench? If you got the edge much thinner, you wont be able to re-heat treat.
> 
> I hate to say it, but that sharp point you've got going on at the heel looks mighty dangerous for the user...



Too much grinding to heat treat again. I’ve moved on to the handle and took it as a learning experience!

And I haven’t thought of it as dangerous until now.. you make a good point. Luckily this knife will be decorative at most lol. I don’t see it turning out to be all that functional as I don’t foresee it holding an edge well. Just a cool looking first attempt and good learning experience.


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## Bensbites (Sep 6, 2020)

1) I would finish it, if for no other reason than practice. The first 3-5 times I do something in the shop, I see drastic improvements. 
2) if you thought the file skated, then I am going to trust you. 
3) another option is to grind it to an edge, and sharpen it. Use it for a couple weeks and see how the edge retention feels.


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## Seffers93 (Sep 6, 2020)

Bensbites said:


> 1) I would finish it, if for no other reason than practice. The first 3-5 times I do something in the shop, I see drastic improvements.
> 2) if you thought the file skated, then I am going to trust you.
> 3) another option is to grind it to an edge, and sharpen it. Use it for a couple weeks and see how the edge retention feels.



I completely agree. Definitely going to finish it and at least get it looking all pretty. But I’ll sharpen it up and see how it does on the cutting board. I’m almost done with the handle now. Just waiting for the epoxy to set.

I should’ve posted this update earlier... but after I got the scratches out on the grinder, I got more scratches.. and figured out they were coming from the metal work surface on the belt grinder from where I cut some pieces off.

So I’m thinking it was just metal on metal scratches after tempering.That surface would’ve scratched up any blade.


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