Guillotine Fuller question

[whit375]

I guess this question is for the Matthews Brothers or anyone else who has made a guillotine or spring fuller...

Did you heat treat the blades of the guillotine fuller you had up at Trackrock? I made one today using leaf spring for the blades. I was thinking I might harden it and then temper it softer than I would a knife blade. Maybe throw it on my barbecue grill for a little while, probably end up about low 50s on the Rockwell C scale. Pretty non-scientific, but I think using it soft like it is it will get all beat up. What do you think?

Thanks,

Ryan

[W. Leavitt]

Ryan,
My guillotine fuller blades aren't hardened. I figured that hitting hot steel would make them lose heat treat/temper anyways so why bother? I've used for about 10 blades so far and the only deformation is on the top blade where I strike it.

Will

[Robert Dark]

Ryan,

My blades were made from a pretty thick spring from a house trailer axle. After straightening in the forge and drilling the holes, I heat treated them, then drew them back at 350 degrees. The only deformation I have gotten is from "Mis-hits" on the top blade.

Robert

[whit375]

OK that's a yes, and a no.....any more votes? Oh well, I went ahead and heat treated them last night with some blades. Hopefully I'll get to test them out pretty soon. Thanks for the responses guys.

[first twin]

Ours is not heat treated. I have gotten a little deformation on the top where I strike it with the hammer but no where else. The annealed steel is harder than the heated blade is. It likely won't deform on the contact edges. I left the top piece soft to protect the hammer. I don't know if that was necessary since most of my hammers didn't cost but about $3.00 The two pieces are easily replaceable and I consider them sacrificial.

[Crex]

Ryan
I've tried it both ways with pretty much the same results. Didn't really seem to matter, as Charlie said the hot steel is going to be softer by far. My last set is made from 52100 and it's holding up very well.