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Heat Treating H13
First h13 is the best Tool Steel to use for hot
work, and this is why, when you are working hot the tool heats up, and of all
the tool steels, it will retain its hardened properties, to a higher temp. And
will retain is properties at that heat for a longer period of time, than all
other steels. When you buy h13, it is in its annealed (softened) state, so those
who machine the steel are able to, off the rack.
These are the steps necessary to have nice working
tools that you will only need to touch up once a week or so. (That’s one punch
and one prichel per week!!! Even making a lot of shoes.) First never work h13 as
high a heat as yellow, or as low as a dull red, or less, as you will destroy the
steel for the intended use. First raise the temp. of the steel slowly as this
will ensure there is a core heat. Work h13 at a near yellow heat to a red heat.
After you forge h13 to a punch or prichel, you need to relieve the stress
created by hammer forging. This is done by after cooling the worked h13, reheat
slowly to near its critical temp, which is 1860’f. Then stuff it into a bucket
of finely sifted coke ash and allow to cool slowly. Now it is ready for heat
treating.
NOTE:
NEVER EVER QUENCH IN WATER OR OIL,
AS h13 IS AN AIR QUENCH STEEL ONLY.
Heat treating h13 is as such,
Again slowly raising the temp. to near critical, and holding for a time then
raise the temp. to the upper critical temp. about 1870’f. ( near yellow )Hold at
this temp for a time. Then quench the h13 with pressurized air. I use a portable
air tank rigged with a regulated air flow so as 100lbs will release slowly over
ten min. or so. I shoot the air at the tip of the punch so it flows around the
tool and down the shaft until a black heat, and then let cool in a standing air
( still air )
I don’t temper the hardness, but for the odd time that you might beat the end of
your punch into the anvil or use your prichel on cold steel to open cold a nail
hole you forgot to check, then you may wish to temper the hard ness by taking
the hardened tool and raising the temp into dull red, and the leave in still air
till cool to the touch, then repeat the step again.
The next step is hard for me to reveal as it maybe the edge needed in a
competitive arena.
So for the working Farriers, I have a belt sander with a 6” disk, which I use to
work the five surfaces of the punch and prichel, giving it a very smooth surface
with razor sharp corners. This is now a cutting tool. One hit to set the punch
into the shoe, the next to drive it, the third, a little softer to hear it hit
the anvil. No more. (when the punch has gone as far as it can through the hot
steel, there will be a distinctly different sound when you strike the punch).
When
using the tool I quench in pine tar ( forshners ) every hole or every second
hole. One, not to cool the tool, but to keep it from getting to hot, and two,
the pine tar liquefies on the tool lubricating it.
No matter what you do to treat your tools or what type of tool steel you use, if
you beat it into the anvil the end will mushroom. With this method, after I head
set, and then prichel, one or two hits with the prichel, as I’m lifting the shoe
with the prichel, off the anvil many times it will just fall off of the prichel.
I really love it when that happens.
I hope this helps. Let me
Know.
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