12-31-2017, 08:30 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-31-2017, 08:41 PM by Rupert Lucius.)
Mr. Me 2
Having access to a Starrett C hardness tester 3 houses down the street any time day or night - seldom use it due the fact that for me it is just impossible to get the tapered knife blade aligned and steady for accurate results.
Usually use my Fowler C hardness files (5 ranges) they are much less expensive than an actual Rockwell C hardness tester, and accurate enough for most knife/machine shop needs. They are Japanese made. Use the tip to scratch or dig in to the metal piece in question. If it scratches or just digs in then your metal piece is softer on the Rockwell C scale. Move to the next lower probe until it does not scratch or dig in on your metal piece in question. You have now bracketed the hardness to within a 5 unit range on the Rockwell C scale. The whole process takes only seconds per test range. Recommend when tempering steel to a desired hardness, or when trying to identify the type and hardness of unlabeled scrap pieces.
Grizzly and or MSC sell sets of hardness tester files that work well for spot checking hardness. How about McMaster Carr?
To everyone a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous 2018.
Rupert
Having access to a Starrett C hardness tester 3 houses down the street any time day or night - seldom use it due the fact that for me it is just impossible to get the tapered knife blade aligned and steady for accurate results.
Usually use my Fowler C hardness files (5 ranges) they are much less expensive than an actual Rockwell C hardness tester, and accurate enough for most knife/machine shop needs. They are Japanese made. Use the tip to scratch or dig in to the metal piece in question. If it scratches or just digs in then your metal piece is softer on the Rockwell C scale. Move to the next lower probe until it does not scratch or dig in on your metal piece in question. You have now bracketed the hardness to within a 5 unit range on the Rockwell C scale. The whole process takes only seconds per test range. Recommend when tempering steel to a desired hardness, or when trying to identify the type and hardness of unlabeled scrap pieces.
Grizzly and or MSC sell sets of hardness tester files that work well for spot checking hardness. How about McMaster Carr?
To everyone a Happy, Healthy, Prosperous 2018.
Rupert