what is tempering?

[Massecar]

ok, before i get flamed, i did use the search and got a basic gist of tempering. i know its after heat treatment, and it usualy involves a toaster oven heated to 400+ degress. where can i find some info that will tell me what it is used for, and how to do it properly? also, when i get my blades heat treated for me, do they usualy temper the blades there or would i have to do this myself? (i know it probably depends on the service provider, but im just making sure)
thanx,
Justin.

[Bob Warner]

At the top of the Newbies forum there is a sticky post called Knifemaking FAQ. This is something I wrote up a long time ago and there is a very basic explaination of heat treating and tempering explained in laymans terms. This will get you to "Understand" it enough to ask good questions.

There is other info in there so you can read it all or just skip to the heat treating section. After reading it, please come back and ask anything you still do not fully understand.

[Massecar]

thank you very much Bob, i feel like an idiot for missing that! i read the FAQ but i must have forgotten. it is late afterall. thank you very much for answering my question.

[george tichbour]

You can get the heat treating, cryogenic treatment and tempering done at Allied Heat Treating in Mississauga...ask for Moe.

[Massecar]

thanks george, can u ship knives via Canada Post?

[GANNMADE]

try this

http://www.sonic.net/~blade/Info___L..._treating.html

[george tichbour]

Yes you can ship by mail, just make sure that the blade tip is protected to prevent it puncturing the packaging. If Allied's price is too high on one blade you can send it to me and I will put it in with one of my heat treat runs, I usually do one a month.

[Massecar]

thanx george, ill keep that in mind!