How to Heat Treat Carbon (1095) Damascus

Coating: ATP-641, Turco, or similar high temperature anti-scale/decarburization coatings can be used in replace of foil to reduce scale or surface decarburization.

Austenizing: Heat oven to Austenizing temperature (1475°F / 800°C)

When oven reaches Austenizing temperature, place material in oven and soak for 10 minutes. Soak time can vary from 5 to 15 minutes based on heat treating equipment and cross section but in most cases, a 10 minute soak time is ideal.

**Do not put blades in oven when cold, insert at or just below austenizing temperature–temperature variances is for difference in stock thicknesses and a window of margin for error.

Quenching: Suggested quench oil: Parks 50–expected as quenched hardness may be lower if a slower quench oil or non-industrial quench medium is used.

Tempering: Typical harnesses of 1095 carbon steel after tempering for 2 hours at different temperatures
Grade Temperature, °C (°F) Rockwell hardness, HRC
1095 high carbon steel, carbon content: 0.95% 205°C (400°F) 58 HRC
260°C (500°F) 57 HRC
315°C (600°F) 52 HRC
370°C (700°F) 47 HRC
425°C (800°F) 43 HRC
480°C (900°F) 42 HRC
540°C (1000°F) 41 HRC
595°C (1100°F) 40 HRC
650°C (1200°F) 33 HRC

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