April 13, 20215 yr Hello everybody! I made a leaf touchmark from a 12mm annealed drill bit, my question is how should i harden and temper it? Is it possible to harden it in sunflower oil? Thanks is advance.
April 13, 20215 yr Welcome to IFI, David G! A lot depends on the specific alloy the drill bit is made from. Do you have a cutoff or another drill from the same set that you can experiment with?
April 13, 20215 yr Author Thanks for the fast answer. Yes i have another piece of it. As far as i know drill bits are high speed steel, am i right?
April 13, 20215 yr Yes, generally. However, there are many different flavors. Some are oil hardening and others are hardened in air or with a stream of compressed air.
April 13, 20215 yr Some are very difficult to heat treat with "blacksmith methods". Suggestion is to test a piece first BEFORE using it for something involving a lot of work!
April 13, 20215 yr High Speed Steel is a category not an alloy designation, could be M2 could also be other things
April 13, 20215 yr David, generally, tools used on hot metal, including touchmarks, are not hardened and tempered because the first time you use them on hot metal it will draw the temper. Any toughness/hardness in a tool used on or in hot metal should be inherent in the type of steel, not the heat treatment. I made my touch mark from a piece of spring and it has not noticeably eroded in use. "By hammer and hand all arts do stand."
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