Hi John-

I understand there are files standardized to various hardnesses that one can use to estimate hardness, but I have no experience with the tools

I'd like to look at your knife pic, but can't open the .heic file type. Are you able to post the photo in a different format?

Thanks.

Let me know if this format works.   Thanks!

To quote Crocodile Dundee, "Now, that's a knife." I was able to download the.pdf and view your blade. A jpeg under 1MB might be easier for others to view the blade.

Enjoy and good luck in keeping your knifemaking in the basement.

A JPEG photo file would definitely help. I can only suggest the method I used to document my trials. Keep track of the blade stats, width, spine thickness, finish grit, quench temp, tempering cycles, etc., and test that knife through all the required steps and see if it passes. If it fails at any step, adjust the process for the next one to compensate. Keep going until you have a knife that passes. This is your "proof of concept" blade. Do another one following the same exact process and testing. If that one also passes, you now have a "proof of process" blade. 

Looking at your photo, I see some very deep scratches and what looks like a hollw grind, above the cutting edge. Not what I would do, but see if it works. I also do not put a lot of faith in a clayed blade to produce the flexibility required of the test blade. I prefer the full quench and selective drawback to get the desired hardeness and flexibility. Others may have different opinions and YMMV.