Temper Temper

[Patrick Hand]

I didn't want to start a new thread..... but I'm in the process of making a machetti (I couldn't find one that didn't have the manufacuters name stamped on the blade....)

Once I have the blade shaped, I'm planning on anealing it (heating it red hot, and then burrying in in ashes to slowly cool) to temper the blade, I then will heat it red hot again, and then quench just the cutting edge, and then watch untill the edge turns a "peacock" blue and then quench the entire blade....

Now my question.... after anealing and tempering, will the blade "flex" or will it bend ? I don't have any idea where to find this out......

[tishsparrow]

uh, dang i dunno, my uncle does metalwork too, i should know, summer vacation killed my brain cells.

[blackjohn]

Mr. Hand wrote, " I didn't want to start a new thread..... "

Ok, I'll do it for you.

Tell ya what, a friend of mine makes new stuff from old blades alot. I'll contact him and get his opinion. In the meantime, I'm sure someone here must have some eperience with this sort of thing.

[Misery]

if someone here doesnt im sure thiers a blacksmiths forum somewhere online

[Patrick Hand]

Blackjohn..... OK.....cool....

I just figured it would only be a few post..... but there may be enough interest.......

[Demon Cat]

First, you want to harden the steel by heating it evenly to a cherry red glow. Then, quench it to cool it quickly. Different steel alloys should be qenched in different manners, but are usually oil or water quenched. The blade at this point will be very hard and brittle. To temper it, heat it around 300 or 400 degrees farentheit, or until the steel takes on a light straw color. Note, this refers to a discoloration of the metal and NOT a glow. You can probably do this part by heating it in your oven. Once heated to this point, allow to cool slowly, like in a warm room.

Fully hardening and then tempering makes it much easier to control what's going on.

There is a technique to making the piece progressively harder as it reaches the blade edge, but doing so, from what I understand, is something that requires lots of skill and practise to pull off. A fine Samuri sword might be tempered in such a manner.

Another consideration is to avoid heat cycling the work too much as you form the blade. Doing so can prevent hardening from working. This includes heat build-up from grinding.

[Patrick Hand]

I think I found what I was looking for in "The Book of Buckskinning IV " There is a chapter on blacksmithing that explains most of what I was looking for....

Should be interesting....... as long as I don't burn my fingers off in the process......

[Patrick Hand]

Aaaaargh..... (yippie jus' don't sound right......)

I gotta bench grinder.........

Now I can finish shapping the machettie (maybe in the mornings befor I start work........) AND NOT HAVE TO DO IF WITH A D#&M FILE..........

[Capt. Lazarus Gage]

Good luck, burns are some of the most painful injuries, but no pain no gain savvy?

[Dread Pirate Slasher]

If you temper the blade like you described, it should flex more than bend. The amount of temper you get will really depend on the carbon content of the steel. The higher the carbon, the better it will temper. Traditionally, a machete is supposed to be flexible. While they might be softer then sword steel for example, this has a purpose. If your in the bush using your machete and damage it, you want to be able to repair it easily. Machete's are meant to take abuse that you wouldn't want to do to your fine knives or swords.

I hope posting links here is ok. A good source of info for all things related to knife-making is knifeforums.com

They have extensive information related to annealing and tempering.

[Patrick Hand]

I hope posting links here is ok. A good source of info for all things related to knife-making is knifeforums.com

I'll have to check that out.... right now the machetti is roughed out, but lack of time is slowing the project down.......