Sgian dubh Build-along

[haxtonhouse]

So is heat treating a different step than hardening? If so whats the difference?

[Archangel]

So is heat treating a different step than hardening? If so whats the difference?

Hardening makes the steel brittle. The next step is tempering which adjusts how much of the blade and where do you want it to stay that hard. A cold chisel, you'll want very hard and with the design you don't need much flexibility, maybe a little softer where you hit it with a hammer. That's why safety glasses are so important. A chisel chip will fly out with force. A sword blade, by contrast will have a hard edge and a soft centre. That way it can cut and also take the shock. A knife will be in between and depends on what you want to use it for.

Heat treating is the whole process.

[Tartan Hiker]

How curious that this old thread has resurfaced today! I just glued the butt cap onto my latest sgian...the first time I've done any knife work in at least 7 months. I've been wanting to do a poured pewter bolster ever since seeing several threads here on how to do that. I was given a box full of pewter scraps from a local artist and made my first poured bolster today. I'd take a photo to post, but it's in the vise while the epoxy sets, so I'll have to wait 'til later.