Heat Treating Gravers

[ejcrist]

I'm finishing up my first flintlock and I decided to engrave (chasing with hammer) my initials in the top flat. I bought a #1 square graver from TOW along with a small hammer and the book by Meeks. I plan to do a lot of practicing before I make the attempt on the barrel. My question - Are the gravers you purchase from TOW already hardened, only requiring shaping and sharpening, or do they need to be hardened first? I watched Jack Brooks' video and he said all carbon steel has to be hardened first, but the graver he hardened in the video was made from a file. I know taps, dies, etc. are also carbon steel but of course they don't require heat treating. I'm not very knowlegeable in this area so if anyone might know I'd certainly appreciate it.

Thanks, Gene 

[Red Badger]

I don't know about the equipment you will be using but the general rule of thumb is if you get it hot you have to re temper it and re harden it....

[Ranger]

Give your new graver a quick file test. Take the a file and gently run it over the edge of the graver. If it cuts into the steel, the tool is soft. If it skips off then the tool is hard. If the tool is soft it can be heat treated fairly easy. File the shape you want into your graver before you harden it. Then take a torch and heat the working end of the graver to a cherry red. If you are unsure of the temp, see if a magnet sticks to it while hot. When it is hot enough the piece will be non magnetic. At this point plunge the tool into some old motor oil or tranny fluid or whatever oil you have around. Be careful of flash over when you do this. Now the piece is hardened. Do the file test again. It should skip right off. Now that your piece is hard, you need to draw back the hardness just a little to make all the molecules line up and be happy. Heat your oven up to 500º and put your graver in there for an hour. At the end of the hour, turn the oven off and remove the tool. Allow the part to air cool. All the molecules should be happy at this point and you have a nice tool to work with. 

[texasranger]

ranger, good info thanks.

[ejcrist]

Roger that Ranger - thanks much.

[Ranger]

I just read up on the TOW gravers that they sell. These appear to already be hardened. You may just need to sharpen them up to work for you. Good luck and post some pics when it's done.