Harbor Freight's Machete is made of "High Carbon Stainless Steel," I'd guess it's 7Cr17MoV, but I'm really not sure, since it's cheap and chinese.

This is all guessing, and Step 5 would be started within 1 hour of step 2. But here's my off-the-wall idea:

1. Cut and Grind smaller knives from Harbor Freight machete made of "High Carbon Stainless Steel." Not sure how to anneal this.

2. Heat until non-magnetic.

3. Air Quench to room temp. (I read 1 post that said it was an air quenched metal, but I'd prefer to oil Quench.)

4. Place between Dry Ice Blocks to cryo treat to -109 F. (I've no idea if this will help)

5. Temper at 335 F for 4 hours

6. Place between Dry Ice Blocks to cryo treat to -109 F. (I've no idea if this will help)

Any critiques, suggestions or ideas at all are appreciated! 

1) there are better and cheaper ways to get steel, and when you buy it new you know what it is and how to treat it

2) not really

3) why would you even think about an oil quench if you think its air cooled steel?

4) why? what do you think it will do?

5) maybe,  where did you get that temp from?

6) again, why

 

My suggestion  is to slow down and start at the beginning.  You dont even know what the steel is.  The  first step is to use test coupons to find out how to HT

Note Cryo HT is to change retained Austenite into Martensite which is very hard and BRITTLE. You do not want any un-tempered Martensite in a blade!   So after any cryo HT step there MUST be a tempering step.  I can't say if cryo would help that material as WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS!

I would suggest getting a couple of knife making. supply catalogs, (or finding them on-line) and get some stuff you KNOW what the alloy is and can find the appropriate HT for it.

With the amount of time and labour that goes into a blade the steel is much the cheapest part of it,  Shoot some alloys you will spend more on abrasives than on steel!