# Using aluminum foil, instead of stainless steel foil.



## jwthaparc (Jan 11, 2022)

Hi. I'm going to be trying to mess around with some a2 steel in the future, and heat treating it is one of my big concerns with it. So I wanted to ask some (probably really stupid) questions. 

First and foremost. What is the exact reason it is necessary to use stainless steel foil, instead of aluminum foil for wrapping the blade?? I looked up why it was necessary, but didn't find any actual answers. 

From my limited understanding, I feel like aluminum should be able to stand up to the heat necessary to heat treat steels. I feel really dumb asking this, but I'm curious.


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## applepieforbreakfast (Jan 11, 2022)

Melting point of aluminum is only 1,221°F.

A2 is going to be heated higher than that.


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## jwthaparc (Jan 11, 2022)

I was probably thinking of titaniums melting point for some reason. Thinking aluminum would melt at a higher temperature than it does. 

Thank you. 

So there isn't going to be a way around buying a roll of stainless foil is there? 

The a2 stock I'm getting is pretty thin, and I'll only have 18 inches of it. so I doubt I can afford to loose steel to decarborization.


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## VICTOR J CREAZZI (Jan 11, 2022)

jwthaparc said:


> So there isn't going to be a way around buying a roll of stainless foil is there?


PM sent


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## Jaeger (Jan 11, 2022)

Instead of heat treat it your self and buy a lot of stainless foil you not really need, why not send it to a heat treatment service? Those services also do cryo treatment and the whole tempering and so on. Just my humble opinion 

Cheers Fabian


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## jwthaparc (Jan 11, 2022)

Jaeger said:


> Instead of heat treat it your self and buy a lot of stainless foil you not really need, why not send it to a heat treatment service? Those services also do cryo treatment and the whole tempering and so on. Just my humble opinion ✌
> 
> Cheers Fabian ✌


Maybe. I havent looked into pricing for it yet. I dont exactly have a lot of money though. So everything counts for me right now. 

I have given that a little thought though.


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## Jaeger (Jan 11, 2022)

I'm totally with you. What I know is that the prices here are absolutely okay. I think ~20€(...$) per blade. Buying foil and do cryo treatment by yourself for one blade is not worth it i guess. If you wanna do more blades and different steels and so on it would make sense but for one blade?


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## jwthaparc (Jan 11, 2022)

Jaeger said:


> I'm totally with you. What I know is that the prices here are absolutely okay. I think ~20€(...$) per blade. Buying foil and do cryo treatment by yourself for one blade is not worth it i guess. If you wanna do more blades and different steels and so on it would make sense but for one blade?


You are totally right. Especially if I am going to mess with a blade that needs cryo. Its probably what I'm going to end up doing at some point.


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## VICTOR J CREAZZI (Jan 11, 2022)

I haven't read it yet, but Larrin has a new blog, I think comparing liquid nitrogen, Dry ice, and freezer.


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