Thread: Blade issue
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Old 11-06-2007, 19:58   #3
Bill Harsey
Bladesmith to the Quiet Professionals
 
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Oregon, Land of the Silver Grey Sunsets
Posts: 3,886
Reaper got it.
The best you could do with boiling water at one atmosphere (sea level) is about 212 Degrees F.
There is no hardened tool (knife) steel that I know of that could have it's temper harmed at this temperature.

The general "minimal" tempering temperature for a steel which has already undergone its hardening (austenitizing) heat treat phase is 300 degrees F.

There is no blade I've ever made that would be harmed by 300 degrees F after completion. Handles and fittings would be a seperate issue.

The best I would suggest for your blade is to use steel wool and oil and not mess with cold blueing on a knife intended to cut what will become food unless your diet is seriously deficiant in selenium dioxide.
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