I'm not sure where to start with this. Apparently, you have had some success with charcoal and a hair dryer (proof that almost any heat treatment of O1 will make a passable blade). If you want to try gas then build a regular forge, it's pretty easy, cheap, and fast to do and it will absolutely work.
To re-heat treat that same blade I would suggest that you start by annealing it. I don't know that it is absolutely necessary but O1 is a moderately alloyed steel so I'm sure it would not hurt to do that step. Get the largest container of wood ash, vermiculite, or kitty litter that you can find (I use 55 gallons of wood ash). Heat the blade above the quenching temp and bury it in the center of the container, leave it over night. If you do that then this blade should come out about the same as any other O1 blade that you have done ...
|