What exactly is air quench???

[Fsawyer]

I was reading some info on a steel called S7 (anyone use it?)

It said it was a great steel for making knives etc.. but that it was air quenched?

It didn't go into what air quenched means.

I suppose it means they blast it with cold air really fast.. or am I being stupid.

Exactly how do people do that?

Does anyone here do something like that at their private shop or do you all send it out to be done?

[Ray Rogers]

Air quenching is a quench using air instead of oil. In some cases, that may mean simply taking the steel out of the heat and allowing it to cool to room temperature. In other cases, it may mean blasting the steel with a stream of air. The manufacturer's specs for the steel will specify which method is to be used.

In the case of blasting with air, some minimum air pressure will be specified. An air compressor equipped with one of those air guns that you use to blow away dust can be used (you can get more sophisticated wit it but this works well). You have to be careful how you apply the air to the steel because this method of cooling makes it very easy to warp the steel....

[mete]

Steels are separated according to hardenability that is how fast they have to cool in hardening .The quenchants ,starting with the fastest, are brine,water, oil, and air. Moving air, of course is a bit faster than still air.

[Quenchcrack]

It has been my experience that air hardening grades can be left to cool in still air and achieve full hardness up to the rated section thickness for the alloy. This slow quench minimizes distortion usually associated with faster quenching of other alloys. I have used an air blast to quench thin sections of oil hardening grades with some success. Water quenching grades pretty much need a water quench.

[Fsawyer]

"When you have the mind of the hammer, all the world looks like hot iron... "


Thanks for the info..

Hey about this quote you use... I was thinkin... If your mind is like a hammer and the wolrd is hot iron.. would you be beating your head all day.........you would be a head banger.