Knife making supplies?

REK Knives

REK Knives

Well-Known Member
I posted this on another forum and someone recommended I post here (duh) so I searched around a little bit here first and couldn't find a similar post...

I just picked up a used gen 1 paragon HT oven w/ a bad control board for $220. Fortunately I already have a brand new PID controller on stand-by (but I still need to order a heat sync and SSR). I'm going to use the PID controller instead of getting a new control board from Paragon (which would cost around $300). Anyway, I am getting into knife making and will be heat treating my own stuff.

So right now I picked up a bunch of 1095 because it was super cheap (I know I know, not the easiest to ht). So what I am wanting to know is WHAT supplies you guys think I will need to go w/ the oven (such as tongs, quench tank, quench oil, etc) and WHERE I should get said items. Oh, and I guess I need foil too? What is the purpose of this? I have never done this before so I am looking forward to it but need advise... thanks a bunch guys
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update: Last night I ordered some gloves and tongs from Jantz.​
 
to start, you dont need foil unless you are doing stainless. see sticky at start of NEW TO KNIFEMAKING for listing of suppliers. quench tank will probably have to be home made, a piece of 6" pipe or square tubing about 24" long with a bottom, 6"square 20"tall would be 3 gallons.
 
Thanks Scott! Yeah I know where to get the supplies to make knives from, I just wasn't sure about the supplies for heat treating and what name brands ppl would recommend. I really like your idea of the 6" square tubing w/ a bottom on it... I would have thought it needed to be bigger, but if I am just moving in and out when quenching it shouldn't need to be wider! Also, if I want the oil to be at a certain temp (say 130F) to quench in, someone else just suggested throwing some hot chunks of steel in the bottom to heat bring it up to temp... you concur?
 
Razor, you can use a propane torch and run it up and down the side's, that's what I do, it gives good control of how warm you get it.
 
Another thing I do that I think is a good Idea, my shop is crowded so I keep my quench tank in a corner out of the way...I set it in a 5 gallon bucket so it doesn't get knocked over and put the bottom of a cut off milk jug over it to keep dust and crap out.
 
for a quench tank I found a time capsule that they put together at the office but never did anything with. holds about 2 1/2 gallons. fits just right in my electric dutch oven. i fill it with hot tap water, add tank, turn it on until quench is at 120F then find setting where it will hold that temp.(sort of like a double boiler, no flames) i also keep mine in a 5 gallon bucket, inch of sand on the bottom, tank in, then fill half way with sand. if it ever get bumped and sloshes, oil just goes into the sand.
i use 12 second oil from Fuch. have heard the 12 second oil from McMaster/Carr works well, they sell it in 1 gallon and 5 gallon containers.
 
Go to the October Hammer In at Haywood Community College in Clyde NC. Get some instruction there. Check out Blacksmithdepot dot com. They have a lot of basic stuff. USAKnifemaker.com has all kinds of tooling and supplies. Be careful not to buy more than you need to start out as you progress you will find what works for you.

Welcome to the adventure of knifemaking, heat treat!!!
 
I found the perfect quench tank... a 120mm ammo can! =) also found where to get parks 50 from, maxim oils. thanks guys!
 
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