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I Forge Iron

My Heat Treating Kiln for Knives, Swords and anything else.


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This was a design I first seen being used by Jesvs Hernendez. Using the inside tank of a water heater, some kaowool and a lot of 304SS! This is just pre-heating to my desired temp for W2 ht, with a W2 kitchen knife just inserted. With a needle valve I am able to pretty much hold any temp between 1100 to 1700F and leave it there indefinately. The large volume allows for very even heating, zero heatspots, and being horizontal, no heat gradiants.

 

 

 

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How is the burner aligned? I've watched two videos of this kiln and couldn't get a good look. The inside heat looked very even. I like the coil for holding blades, is that the 304? Do you have special tongs or handling tool for inserting and removing blades?

Frosty The Lucky.

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It's coming in at the bottom, straight in just above the floor by about an inch. The coil is 3/16" 304ss but is proving to be no match for the heat and has sagged some. It can be straightened out, buy I like things more permanent. A redesign is in the works for that in the near future. I made the hooks that are holding it up out of 3/8" 304ss, and the hinge and locking mechanism is the same since I had a small abundance of it.

I use the same regular tongs I use for holding onto tangs for forging.

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By straight in do you mean lengthwise or crosswise?

I don't recall specific alloys but some SS is very heat resistant.

Wow, I thought I'd submitted this yesterday. So I started to now and here it is, what I'd written yesterday and evidently forgot to submit. Must've gotten distracted. . . Again!

Frosty The Lucky.

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I mean the coil can be taken out and straightened from the belly it has formed from the weight of blades. And it's ok, I tend to be forgetful often!

 

A

@ Thomas

I have heard people mention sag, but with proper support, a sword shouldnt sag. This issue was brought up to Jesvs Hernendez, a very accomplished bladesmith who inspired me to make this, and over many years he has no issues with sagging of his blades. His support holds his blades every inch or so, which mine doesn't, so it can be an issue I am sure. I am going to throw a different rack in there for that though. The coil I have is easily removable.

And the heat gradiant of a verticle tank is enough of a pita IMO to even consider a vertical tank.

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