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Post by darknovashin on Feb 13, 2024 21:29:03 GMT
Came across this method accidentally during a YouTube search, but molten lead is apparently a useable medium for prolonged heat treatment for Bainitic transformations. I have also heard of molten salt and sand as well, though not as well recorded as this lead example. I am curious if anyone has used these or any other unusual mediums beyond water/oil/kiln more commonly used for heat treatment and quench.
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Post by larason2 on Feb 14, 2024 2:43:06 GMT
I haven't, but I know molten lead isn't a good idea from a safety perspective! Some pipe organ builders like Gottfried Silbermann used to boil lead for extended periods, and for G Silbermann, it's known as the cause of his premature death. Lead is safe provided you don't boil it, just melting without boiling doesn't cause much metal to enter the air, but like mercury it's really bad for your lungs if inhaled.
Some metals like most stainless steels air quench, but that actually makes them very hard to work with without special equipment!
Oil and water satisfy the requirements to produce two different styles of Hamon when differentially hardened, fast quench for oil, slower quench for water. Knife makers also use "super quench," which is water with detergents and surfactants in it to speed up the quench. It's preferrable for some steels. There's other special quenching formulas, but for most things they don't have a particular advantage.
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Post by crazyjons on Feb 14, 2024 2:54:47 GMT
Seem like quenching in 750° molten lead would act very differently than oil oil or water I mean that's almost a temper temperature
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Post by larason2 on Feb 14, 2024 5:10:28 GMT
Yes, at least it would possibly be easier to make bainite! Bainite is pretty tricky to make though, not sure if liquid lead would make it easier, and if that would make it worth the safety risk! You'd have to test how much lead aerosolizes when you quench. I'm sure it would be a lot more at high temperature than at low temperatures. The question is how much better would lead be versus quenching it and putting it in a tempering oven to make bainite?
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LeMal
Member
Posts: 1,095
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Post by LeMal on Feb 14, 2024 8:23:20 GMT
I'd be curious of the results of trying pewter. (And seems a safer experiment.)
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Post by mrstabby on Feb 14, 2024 16:56:23 GMT
I have seen salts used for blueing and tempering, not for quenching though.
I'd say either metal, pewter or lead, you need some heavy duty safety gear, with lead you get lead poisoning and with pewter metal fume fever or antimony poisoning (depending on how much antimony is in there). Either way you'd get a lot of vapour off it, or at least enough to be not so good for you.
EDIT: Confused pewter and brass, still they didn't care for a long time, but nowdays you should not do such things without a rebreather.
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Feb 14, 2024 18:33:07 GMT
I know Albion uses molten salt.
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Alan Schiff
Registered
Manufacturers and Vendors
Posts: 464
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Post by Alan Schiff on Feb 20, 2024 22:05:09 GMT
I personally haven't used any "odd" media for heat treating, but I've seen a video (obviously pretty old) showing Wilkinson using molten lead for tempering. Albion and Valiant both use salt baths for heat treating.
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Post by unistat76 on Mar 6, 2024 2:33:01 GMT
I quench my blades the tears of a virgin Dungeons and Dragons DM.
I've not found a new source since I got married.
:D
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Post by blackprince on Apr 2, 2024 1:01:49 GMT
Don’t use molten lead for a quench medium. It is toxic and technology has improved beyond that. If your mind is set on this technique, use salt pots instead. They are expensive, but their operation is a science.
If you are simply making swords and knives as a hobby, or just starting out, you’ll get good enough results with quench oil.
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