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Gold Prospecting
Do It Yourself (DIY) Projects
DIY Plug Digga Spade plans with stick on template and instructions
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<blockquote data-quote="Daggy" data-source="post: 311373" data-attributes="member: 9035"><p>G'day hyperscott</p><p></p><p>I make knives and do all the heat treatments myself and can tell you that you will ruin the steel on your spade if you try to harden and temper yourself.</p><p>The steel in the spades are already treated and will be a medium carbon steel.</p><p></p><p>If you really feel the need to do it yourself you are going to have to heat the blade in a large fire or forge until it's just past cherry red ( or non magnetic, test with a magnet on a stick )</p><p>If you want to make it harder than what it was, quench it in water (ambient temp) but if you quench in oil it will be about the same as it was when you bought it.</p><p>Sump oil will not add carbon to the steel, that happens at a molecular level.</p><p></p><p>The easiest way to temper your blade without a furnace, is to crank the oven in your kitchen to about flat out or 300 celsius. Make sure there is no oil or any other contamination on the blade or the missus will tear you a new one! leave the blade to soak in the oven for an hour, take it out and let rest on the sink to cool naturally (best done when missus is away) and you cant go wrong.</p><p></p><p>Good luck</p><p>Darren</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Daggy, post: 311373, member: 9035"] G'day hyperscott I make knives and do all the heat treatments myself and can tell you that you will ruin the steel on your spade if you try to harden and temper yourself. The steel in the spades are already treated and will be a medium carbon steel. If you really feel the need to do it yourself you are going to have to heat the blade in a large fire or forge until it's just past cherry red ( or non magnetic, test with a magnet on a stick ) If you want to make it harder than what it was, quench it in water (ambient temp) but if you quench in oil it will be about the same as it was when you bought it. Sump oil will not add carbon to the steel, that happens at a molecular level. The easiest way to temper your blade without a furnace, is to crank the oven in your kitchen to about flat out or 300 celsius. Make sure there is no oil or any other contamination on the blade or the missus will tear you a new one! leave the blade to soak in the oven for an hour, take it out and let rest on the sink to cool naturally (best done when missus is away) and you cant go wrong. Good luck Darren [/QUOTE]
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Gold Prospecting
Do It Yourself (DIY) Projects
DIY Plug Digga Spade plans with stick on template and instructions
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