Heat treating for flexability

[ragnik]

Hi gang,

Had a fellow ask me to make a filet knife. So i got out my 15 dollar filet knife and started to look at it. The biggest thing i noticed was it was very very flexible and that got me to thinkin how to heat treat so a filet knife is that flexible. I tried o-1 steel 1/16 thick ground the profile and some of the blade bevles then Hted in an oven dunked in oil...so far so good...then i tempered the blade 2 cylces 1 hour each at 450. It seems pretty flexible but i have really stressed it.

What thought do you guys have on what steel is best for filet knife and thickness and temper temps and times?

Thanks

Ross

[mete]

A common misconception is that heat treat makes it flexible .NO. Flexibility is acheived by making it thin. If you take apart an old watch or clock you'll see that the springs are would into tight little spirals - only because it's thin ! As I understand the springs were made of 1095.

[Quenchcrack]

Well, I guess that explains why as I get older and fatter, I become more inflexible...