# W2 in water



## Mike Davis (Oct 5, 2011)

So....i am working on a blade to take with me this weekend...Also it is for Mark from Burl Source. I quenched it in brine (with the clay coat) and had a tiny bit of warpage, but no pings! I had it in the oven for 1.5 hours now at 350, but will take it up to 375 tomorrow with a small overbend to compensate for the warpage. it did get a little twist, but again, with .375 steel clamped to both sides to straighten it during temper, it should come out fine. Will post some pics in the morning....Getting a bit late to polish and etch it tonight...

If this works out...this should be one WILD hamon! the clay coat had some crazy designs...fingers crossed!


----------



## tgraypots (Oct 5, 2011)

Good luck getting the kinks out. KU, hamon, any kind of irregular finish is what I dig. Can't wait to see the pics.


----------



## mhenry (Oct 5, 2011)

Can't wait to see it Hurry!


----------



## Mike Davis (Oct 5, 2011)

It appears that i did not get the heel of it fully hardened, so i am normalizing it and going to reheat it tonight....grrrr...


----------



## HHH Knives (Oct 5, 2011)

Darn, I hate it when that happens.. Good luck on the second HT.


----------



## Burl Source (Oct 5, 2011)

I am betting you'll get it right this time.
You are making some good knives Mike.
Keep up the good work and post photos.


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Oct 5, 2011)

Why don't you quench in oil? Less chance of cracking or warping and you will make a good hardness. 

M


----------



## tk59 (Oct 5, 2011)

water is cool. vg:


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Oct 5, 2011)

You are also running a good chance or warping or even cracking your blade. If you forge it from a round stock, by the time you quench, it's a few hours of labor in the knives already. Many guys who get cool hamon quench in oil, so it's not like it something people embarrassed about.


----------



## tk59 (Oct 5, 2011)

water is still cool. vg:


----------



## Rottman (Oct 5, 2011)

And water is traditional, too...


----------



## tk59 (Oct 5, 2011)

...and cool. vg:


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Oct 5, 2011)

Some so-called Mizu-honyaki in Japan are oil quenched for the very reason that quenching in water can result in warping or cracking (sometimes on microscopic level). So, unless it comes from a very reputable source (and price sometimes is an indicator of that) you might get oil quenched blade that is passed for a water quenched. I was told at one time that in Sakai there are only a handful of people who can do a true Mizu-honyaki (water quenched) heat treatment.

Don't mean to hijack the thread. Mike if you get a great result quenching in water (brine) that is fantastic. I will tip my hat to you.


----------



## JBroida (Oct 5, 2011)

ehh... many vendors say "mizuhonyaki" when it is not, but in my experience in Japan, mizu-honyaki is water quenched (hence the name) and honyaki is oil quenched. However, many do prefer to oil quench for many of the above reasons.


----------



## Rottman (Oct 5, 2011)

And sometimes they may use both, first water and finishing in warm oil....


----------



## Mike Davis (Oct 6, 2011)

I would much rather use oil, but sadly, i do not have the proper oil for W2...yet  I might take it with me to Randy's and sweet talk him into doing it in his oven. I spoke to Kevin Cashen(Metallurgical genius) yesterday and he narroed it down to a trick of the eye and it was not quite hot enough....Could have only been off by max. 100 degrees.....Tip hardened but the rest did not....still sad lol.

Marko, very very soon i will have the proper oils, i guess until then i will have others do my HT for me.


----------



## HHH Knives (Oct 6, 2011)

Mike, Bring it.. I have AAA quench oil and It should work perfect on the W2. Its a tough thing to eye ball some times! 

Randy


----------



## Marko Tsourkan (Oct 6, 2011)

Mike Davis said:


> I would much rather use oil, but sadly, i do not have the proper oil for W2...yet  I might take it with me to Randy's and sweet talk him into doing it in his oven. I spoke to Kevin Cashen(Metallurgical genius) yesterday and he narroed it down to a trick of the eye and it was not quite hot enough....Could have only been off by max. 100 degrees.....Tip hardened but the rest did not....still sad lol.
> 
> Marko, very very soon i will have the proper oils, i guess until then i will have others do my HT for me.


 
I am going to try HT W2 in one of those untraditional oils today. Will report on hardness and hamon figure. I use electric kiln.


----------



## WillC (Oct 6, 2011)

I havent found W2 needs any particularly fancy oils. I have used old engine oil, but it is very mucky and clean hydraulic oil and had good results with both. Had some good results with water too, and some tinks. I tend to use the water in my forge bosh, near boiling for initial quench which seems to help.


----------



## Mike Davis (Oct 9, 2011)

Blade turned out great! Hamon is VERY active, will get pictures up as soon as i get this cleaned up! Mark, you are going to love this one


----------

