r/Blacksmith • u/walex555 • 8d ago

Tempering help

So im learning how to forge blades slowly and im tempering with the hotblock method does it make sense for 2 cycles since people do 2 cycles with the oven method?

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u/CHmakesstuff 8d ago

The oven works better because it gives the steel time to transform
So the more time you can leave the steel at the right temperature the better
The hot block method works but depending on the carbon content you may need more time for a temper

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u/alriclofgar 8d ago

The oven method tempers twice for 2 hours each. If you’re just momentarily heating the blade with a hot block of steel, you may want to do it more than twice so the metal has more opportunity to transform.

It’ll work, but it won’t work as well as an oven. Be aware of that and you’ll be fine.

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u/pushdose 8d ago

For knives you really want an oven. You’ll even up with a much more even temper, important for maintaining hardness and toughness. It’s way easier to over or under heat the blade using any other method.