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Watching a new guy at the forge skip the final tempering step on a leaf spring knife three times in a row made me realize how many folks think quenching is the whole job.
I had to explain that without that second heat cycle to around 400 degrees, the blade will be too brittle to hold an edge and could shatter on the first real test, so has anyone else seen this specific mistake or have a good way to teach the importance of tempering?
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thomas_young6mo ago
Ever notice how this happens everywhere, not just in forging? People get so focused on the flashy main step they skip the quiet, boring one that makes the whole thing actually work. Like @wade558 said, the exact temp can change, but the step itself is non-negotiable. I see it in cooking all the time, rushing to serve a steak without letting it rest. That final temper is the rest for the steel, and missing it just leaves you with a pretty but useless blade.
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lewis.diana6mo ago
Three times in a row? That's a pattern, not a simple mistake. It shows a total lack of understanding about the process. You can't just hope for a different result by doing the same wrong thing over and over.
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wade5586mo ago
That 400 degree number is a good general target, but it can vary a lot by steel. Some alloys need a bit higher, some lower. The real key is just not skipping that second oven cycle altogether.
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