gearhartironwerks Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I've been given several nice chunks of D2 that can be sawed and forged into billets. Having no experience doing so, can anyone please give me some suggestions in the heat treating and finish work? I have a heat treat oven capable of accurate temps. What is the best process? Thanks, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 You have an advantage over most folks looking to heat treat tool steels. The accurate heat treat oven.There is not a simply short answer I can type or cut and paste in here. I googled and like every time in the past it is muddy waters trying to get a short simple answer. You need to know a few things. like it scales really bad, Its hard to hand forge. Knives I have made from it are really nice to use and hold a great edge. It is not stainless.Due to the scaleing you need some real nice shop tools like belt and flat grinders and real good abrasives.The makers of the steel,,you can find them with google, have specific time and temperature information for you. If your oven is not an o2 free environment when you heat it you may want to try some heat treat foil, Just remober you have to rip it off real quick for you to forced air cool the steel..Since you have some steel, make a knife or two and using times and temps from the data on line, see wot works best for you. I no longer heat treat this steel at home. I send it out, and that includes cryo treatment as well. I have to keep track of time with my oven and am more likely to be busy with other things in shop and miss the times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Does your heat treat oven have ramping controls? As I recall D2 really profits form having the exact heat treat. I'd check up on it in the ASM heat treating handbook. it can be a real joker to forge---you hit it with a hammer and it laughs at you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 From ASM heat treaters guide: (Abridged) Forging Preheat to 1200-1300f Start forging at 1850-2005 do not forge below 1695. Cool slowly after forging Rapid cooling from elevated temperatures such as 1695 is not recomended. Hardening: Heat very slowly, preheat at 1500 and austenitize at 1795 to 1875 Hold at temperature for 15 minutes for small tools quench in air and cool as evenly as possible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JNewman Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Tempering Temper immediately at 400-1000f after tool has cooled to about 120-150 Double temper allowing tool to cool to room temperature before second temper. Tempering chart shows: drops in hardness to about 58Rc at 700degrees then rises to 58-59Rc between 800-900 then starts to fall 56-57at 1000 falls to 51-53at 1100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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