Quench plates ?

[SVanderkolff]

I am thinking of making myself some quench plates. A couple of questions, how big should they be? What should they be made of? Do you leave the foil on while quenching or do you have to take the knife out of the foil first?
Thanks
STeve

[Ed Caffrey]

I use two 12"X12" X 1" aluminum plates. Copper would be even better, but a little too pricey for me, so I settled on the aluminum. The only steel that I deal with that I use the quench plates for is S30V. I leave the blade in the foil and place the whole thing between the two plates. The plate method not only hardens the steel very effectively, but has the added benefit of curing any warpage that may have occurred during the heating process.

[Don Cowles]

I use the same material and procedure that Ed does, and I use it on all air-hardening steels. Works well for me.

[Don Robinson]

I use two heavy steel plates salvaged from a punch press die. The steel quenches really fast and is heavy enough to keep the blade flat.

Try a scrap yard, Steve.

[azmike]

i've not done any air hardening steels (yet), but if and when i do, i was able to pick up the heatsinks from a couple of older 100hp VFD's. 24"X15"X8" finned aluminum, about 40# each. So if ya know anyone in the hvac/elect business ask if they have any vfd's being replaced. also got the cabinents-all steel-40"w x18"deep and 5ft tall---lag bolted them to the shop wall and put in shelfs. the entire replacement VFD's are about the same size as the old heatsinks. mike

[Dan Graves]

OK, I am without a clue on what quench plates are. Can someone explain how they are used and can they be used on high carbon thin blades?

[Ray Rogers]

They are nothing more than massive metallic plates, Dan. Instead of quenching the steel in oil or water or even open air, the blade is slapped between two big plates. The more massive the plates and the higher their coefficient of heat conductivity the better the results are likely to be. In short, the heavy plates sink the heat from the blade and, if they do it fast enough, you get the same trandformation effect that other quench mediums will provide.

Of the materials we are most likely to use as quench plates, stainless steel is almost worthless. Mild steel is a about 3 times better than stainless, aluminum is about 4 to 5 times better than mild steel, and copper is up to 10 times better than mild steel and about 1.75 times better than aluminum .....