Hi,
I am a new member and just starting on this exciting journey into bladesmithing. I had a question on re-quenching a blade. Recently, i tried forging a dagger out of 1084. I heated it to non-magnetic and quenched in canola oil. I subsequently tempered at 425 for 2 hours. Following this, i tested the rockwell hardness with a file testing kit and the rockwell hardness came out to be between 55-60 Rc. I was thinking of requenching the blade in Parks 50, but was wondering if I should anneal it first? From what I have read, you get pearlite formation if you quench too slowly and was wondering if by re-annealing this would improve the quench a second time? Or am I just overthinking this and should just repeat the quench. Any help in the manner would be great.
Jimmy
If it is a traditional dagger, that Rockwell range may not be that bad for it. But if you want to know you got good microstructure, and wish to control hardness with tempering, you can go at it again. The #50 will give better results, to be sure. An anneal will not be necessary, depending on the type of anneal. A simple cycle to 1500°F (816°C) with air cool should reset the steel to a fine pearlitic structure, which will very readily go into solution on the next hardening.
Thank you Kevin!
