normalizing

[beebee58]

I'm doing the stock removal method, I need to know if "normalizing" is nessesary ?
And if so, how is this done ?
At this time I'm using 440c, and don't own a forge.

[Ray Rogers]

If you don't have a forge - which isn't very useful with stainless - then I assume you don't have an electric oven either and that renders the question of normalizing moot. If your 440C came from any of the regular knife supply sources then it should already be fully annealed and no heat processing of any kind will be needed before grinding your blade. After the blade is ground normalizing might help relieve some strees and prevent some warpage but if your grind is even then the need for that is minimal. I use a lot of 440C and never normalize.........