ladder pattern with shading

Jeff Pringle · 4th December 2006, 03:38 PM

Hardened steel will look darker than unhardened at the same level of polish, so that might be part of what's going on here. Usually, quenching also causes less contrast in the hardened area, but that ingot I made with relatively high phosphorus did not seem to suffer from a contrast drop in the hardened area.
I'm not sure about the metalurgic reasoning behind how the light reflects off the surface, but since the pattern is due to the structure of the steel, there must be some metalurgy beghind it, intermixed with the reflection mechanics of the polish level.

Gt Obach · 4th December 2006, 04:56 PM

Hi Jeff

that is so cool the the P slowed the contrast.... good to know..

i think that the acid in the etch eats abit quicker on the martensite.. ..so, more oxide and a darker pattern...

just my thinking ?

Greg

4th December 2006, 03:38 PM	#1
Jeff Pringle Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 189	Hardened steel will look darker than unhardened at the same level of polish, so that might be part of what's going on here. Usually, quenching also causes less contrast in the hardened area, but that ingot I made with relatively high phosphorus did not seem to suffer from a contrast drop in the hardened area. I'm not sure about the metalurgic reasoning behind how the light reflects off the surface, but since the pattern is due to the structure of the steel, there must be some metalurgy beghind it, intermixed with the reflection mechanics of the polish level.

4th December 2006, 04:56 PM	#2
Gt Obach Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 116	Hi Jeff that is so cool the the P slowed the contrast.... good to know.. i think that the acid in the etch eats abit quicker on the martensite.. ..so, more oxide and a darker pattern... just my thinking ? Greg