Heat Treating O-1 tool steel? Knife guys maybe?

[cgarr]

Knife guys maybe?

I have done some heat treating of O-1 steel, mostly when replacing the chain tensioner posts in the chain boxes. I have good luck with the old torch, bring it up to temp usually as soon as it becomes non magnetic then drop it in my fast quenching oil, they come out about 60 on the c scale.

I have a real nice electric furnace that will go up to 2300 but when I use it on O-1 at about 1575f after quenching the surface it looks rather scaly and its harder to finish to a nice polished surface like I get with the torch. Should I be using some type of wrap when using the furnace? Some say use a stainless steel foil and seal the part in it with a small piece of paper to remove contaminates?

I would really like to use the furnace because I can pretty much set it and forget it.

[futuresoptions]

+1 on the foil... I plan on getting a oven in the future as well and will have to start using the foil approach. The only thing that I will have to get used to is cutting the foil open to access (in my case the knife) and quench. I personally have no experience with the foil method but do know it is highly recommended and I have heard some folks will use certain types of wood chips in the foil in place of the paper.