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Posted: 2/24/2003 8:46:49 PM EDT
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Once you've hardened a blade, and you want to test it with the file, how hard do you press to see if it's hardened? Also, any other good tests once you've tempered and sharpened? |
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Use the file lightly, as if you were trying to take a very light cut on the steel. At this point the steel should be as hard, or harder than the file and will ruin the file teeth rather quickly if you use too much pressure. I prefer a used file, but one that still has some cutting action. If the blade is hard you will know it instantly if you are familiar with the "feel" of a file when it is cutting. The file quite literally "skates" over the steel and will not bite. Sometimes the scale from the quench will grab the file a bit, but that will stop after you have run the file over the edge a couple of times and cleaned the scale. I like to do the paper cut test for sharpness. Then I cut up a bunch of cardboard and see if it will still shave. The brass or copper rod test is my favorite and is explained in my tutorial and on Ed Caffrey's site. Cutting some 2" x 4" is always good to see if the edge will chip or deform, especially on the larger knives that may be used for survival or camp chores. |
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