Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Gt Obach · 27th June 2007, 01:46 PM

but weren't all wootz blades air quenched...?

actually you can differentially harden a blade when you quench it... if you have a shallow hardening steel ( like wootz ) .. it has to be cooled quickly enough to produce martensite... if not, then it only can go to other structures.....

so if you quench in oil.. the thin edge section will cool quick enough to harden but the spine will retain to much heat to harden... ( very similar to the japanese clay coat without clay )

with a hot,thinner ...quicker oil, you can fully harden the blade......

Greg

27th June 2007, 01:46 PM	#4
Gt Obach Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 116	but weren't all wootz blades air quenched...? actually you can differentially harden a blade when you quench it... if you have a shallow hardening steel ( like wootz ) .. it has to be cooled quickly enough to produce martensite... if not, then it only can go to other structures..... so if you quench in oil.. the thin edge section will cool quick enough to harden but the spine will retain to much heat to harden... ( very similar to the japanese clay coat without clay ) with a hot,thinner ...quicker oil, you can fully harden the blade...... Greg