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I’m late to the welcome party but I thought I should say hello to a fellow resident of the 208. I’m in the Magic Valley. Where are you?

True. I’ve got a BBQ probe thing. Mine has multiple probes so I can look at the temp in multiple locations (or in multiple steaks). The biggest issue I have observed is that the temps drop significantly before the element kicks back in to bring it back up to temp. If your wife isn’t watching...

I know exactly what you mean. I have spent the better part of the last decade and a half explaining this concept to people as it relates to information about the US Constitution, US Law, and US Jurisprudence. I agree, Kevin is incredibly generous with his time and knowledge. I am constantly...

After learning that grain refinement and normalizing are not the same thing, I was left with the question of how do I refine grain? Unlike some of you who know what you are doing, I am confident that I regularly overheat steel when forging. I don't do it on purpose, I'm just not that good at...

So... I'm a little embarrassed to admit this, but I have been doing this all wrong. I think I've got the concept of "normalizing" down but I'm way off on grain refinement. Rather than ask here, I'm going to start a more general thread so it will be easier to find.

Wait… I thought “stress relieving” was just another way to say “normalizing.” You are all so generous with your time and knowledge, I feel greedy for asking but can someone pretend I know nothing (it shouldn’t be hard) and tell me where I’m right or wrong here? Beginning: I buy 80CrV2 from...

You and I appear to have a similar budgeting thoughts.

I also use canola for 80CrV2 but I’d put an * by “successfully” because my observations of success are purely anecdotal. To me, it skates a file and it feels like it’s really hard but I can’t give any numbers or objective data to quantify my success.

I’m looking at a HT oven (probably a Jen-Ken) and wondering if it’s worth the $$ to pay for the controller upgrades. What do y’all have? Does anybody have one of the 3 button outfits?

Ya… Figured that. I’ve had the unfortunate learning opportunity of thinking I was going to “just” do a little this or that after quench but before temper and seeing what happens when a blade gets knocked out of my hand or something.

I have come to the conclusion that I am arguably one of the best blacksmithing lawyers in the whole county.

I never thought about that (whether I grind better on hard steel). It would certainly be harder to make the big screw ups.

Looking at Aluminum, as with steel, there are various flavors; which aluminum am I looking for? 6061? 7075? 6013?

This is one of those brilliantly simple solutions you get from talking to people who use common sense. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it.

Background before the question: I have been making kitchen knives lately. Mostly out of 80CrV2. I usually have a spine thickness around 0.10” and I grind the edge down to about the thickness of a dime (0.05”) pre-HT. I’ve been quenching in warm canola oil with pretty good results but I get the...

Great idea. This is perfect!

Sometimes you get an idea that you think is brilliant but then wonder, “If this is so brilliant, why aren’t other people doing it?” Today I had one of those. I saw this this galvanized pitcher and thought I could use it as a quench tank. I’d pour the oil from my plastic jug in to the pitcher...

This one should be a little clearer.

I screwed up a bowie I was making from a rasp. So... I broke it to look at the grain. Would you say this is course grain?