a question for Crashdrive123 and other knife makers

Hi guys over the last week or so I have started the tedious (but enjoyable) task of hand making my 1st knife, all with hand tools, hacksaw, files a vice etc etc.
The metal I am using is N690 and I sent the blade in for Heat treatment to Böhler, they do a vacuum heat treatment process, and its HRC Rockwell hardness is apparently 58-60
Now the question I have is, this blade came back CLEAN very clean , no scale at all... from what I can understand, and I did ask and check the net.. is that vacuum heat treatment evacuates the air and gases out so that nothing can oxidize the metal. So yeah I am nervous as it is so darn clean hahaha.
Is this true? I just want to be triple sure, as all the info I had previously understood with normal Heat Treat, would leave scale on the blade.

Here is a pic of what I have (as it came back from vacuum heat treat)...
I have a lot of finishing still to do...Attachment 11436

The N690 (I have never used it, but have heard good things about it) is heat treated and then air quenched (I use two large aluminum plates for my air cooled steels). This process does not leave scales, but will leave the steel with a dull, gray finish. I suspect that following the hardening and tempering process that they cleaned up the piece.

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

The N690 (I have never used it, but have heard good things about it) is heat treated and then air quenched (I use two large aluminum plates for my air cooled steels). This process does not leave scales, but will leave the steel with a dull, gray finish. I suspect that following the hardening and tempering process that they cleaned up the piece.

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Ahhh thanks Man.

58-60 is pretty hard. Take a file to the handle part and see how much it bites. You can also look for a little dimple, if they tested the hardness on your knife. Of course, they might have done a batch and put a small piece of similar metal in the furnace and tested that instead.
Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If the company is reputable, it is probably fine. It looks like it went through a heat treat. Make sure and post the finished product, we all want to see it!

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Originally Posted by finallyME

58-60 is pretty hard. Take a file to the handle part and see how much it bites. You can also look for a little dimple, if they tested the hardness on your knife. Of course, they might have done a batch and put a small piece of similar metal in the furnace and tested that instead.
Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If the company is reputable, it is probably fine. It looks like it went through a heat treat. Make sure and post the finished product, we all want to see it!

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Yeah last night I was trying to work it to get the edge in and start finishing up, and all I can say is they must have heat treated it holy smokes... it is now a lot more tough to work with a bastard file than it was previously. So yeah no doubt its been done. I look forward to finishing it... just gona take a bit longer than I thought.

Sounds like a winner! Definitely post pics.

What would be a good starter steel for someone who's never made a knife before?

"When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty."

III%

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Originally Posted by Wølf/Diesel™

What would be a good starter steel for someone who's never made a knife before?

"When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty."

III%

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I started on using old rusty sawmill blades and files. If you want to start using bar stock, 1095 is easy to work with and heat treat.

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

I started on using old rusty sawmill blades and files. If you want to start using bar stock, 1095 is easy to work with and heat treat.

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Sounds good, thank you. I sort of thought someone might say that.

"When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty."

III%

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wølf/Diesel™

What would be a good starter steel for someone who's never made a knife before?

"When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty."

III%

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I honestly dont know... its the 1st knife i made... its tough metal but workable...
01 tool steel might be better or easier ( and can easily be self heat treated)

I posted the finish product in another thread..
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...and-made-knife