two questions

[Omega]

i heated a piece of o1 to red hot and one magnet would not stick but a bigger one did could this still be a good temp? And two if i lightly pull a triangel file across the blade nothing happens but if i put some pressure it will cut into the steel, not as easily as stock o1 bu it does cut is this ok?

thx

Bill


Sweeet:evil

[Ray Rogers]

If the steel went to non-magnetic no magnet would attract it. It wasn't hot enough, which means it only partially hardened which is why the file cut it. A fresh file will cut hardened steel but not very much and it feels like you're trying to file a piece of glass.

[Jason Cutter]

I use the file method all the time. I don't pull the file across the blade (the teeth aren't arranged that way) I push the file to see if it bites. If the steel is fully hardened, the file should not actually bite at all. If you pushed hard enough, I guess you could but if would be knocking the teeth off your file as technically, the hardened steel should be harder than your file. The sound is quite important. It should feel like you are trying to file glass - the file wants to just slide off, but it should also sound like a high pitched glassy sounds as the file slides off.

Onepotentially confusing factor - if there is scale on the blade (usually there is) the file will bite into THAT. But once its knocked off the file should skate off the hardened steel thats underneath. The file will also bite into decarburised steel, so if you burn up your metal, the file will also let you know. Funny things files...

Good luck. Jason.

[ChrisChatelain]

from my experiance with my first knife, the file was biting, but then started skating after I took about a milimeter off. seems like I decarburized the edge, like jason said. so if you can spare a bit of metal, try taking a bit of it off.

(one of the experts...please correct me if my assumtions here are lacking or wrong...I;m just getting started )