Just a very short update and reminder here. The 12 sharpened A2 blades are in the hands of the heat treaters now. These samples represent a total of 24 edges in that both sides of each piece have been beveled and pre-sharpened. Eight pieces are double bevel at 15° and four have been chisel ground and sharpened at 30°. Three pieces each will be hardened at HRC50,54,58 and 62. When they arrive back here at our offices we will SET test the edges in their hardened state and then retest after re-sharpening has been conducted .
The pre-heat treated edges were sharpened in an array that spanned the BESS range 250 - 450. Our previous SET results with sharpened edges indicate that this range of initial sharpness levels (250-450) all roll albeit at different rates. This sequence of SET tests will allow us to; (1) test for the edge structural parameters inherent to differing hardness levels and to (2) test for the structural effect, if any, of the sharpening process itself and finally (3) test for how initial sharpness levels correlate to hardness levels and the rate of degradation thereof.
In other words, tests (1) and (2) will involve re-measuring the sharpness level of the edges right out of the heat treaters box and then subjecting them to a SET (rolling) test in order to see how pre-sharpened, post heat treated, edges perform structurally. We will then re-sharpen those same edges and see how they fare comparatively speaking. This will all be evaluated against the HRC hardness levels 50 through 62. This experiment should answer the question of whether or not the sharpening process itself alters the physical structure of the steel somewhat, significantly or not at all.
Test (3) will simply see how different initial sharpness levels fare at different hardness levels.
If you have a suggestion for a different or particular test that might be run with this group of samples we'd be happy to hear about it.
Edit: Oh yes, forgot to mention that we have recently witnessed our 3000th post come and go. That's a lot of quality content and a lot of keystrokes. EOU and BESS thank you all wholeheartedly for your participation and support here.
The pre-heat treated edges were sharpened in an array that spanned the BESS range 250 - 450. Our previous SET results with sharpened edges indicate that this range of initial sharpness levels (250-450) all roll albeit at different rates. This sequence of SET tests will allow us to; (1) test for the edge structural parameters inherent to differing hardness levels and to (2) test for the structural effect, if any, of the sharpening process itself and finally (3) test for how initial sharpness levels correlate to hardness levels and the rate of degradation thereof.
In other words, tests (1) and (2) will involve re-measuring the sharpness level of the edges right out of the heat treaters box and then subjecting them to a SET (rolling) test in order to see how pre-sharpened, post heat treated, edges perform structurally. We will then re-sharpen those same edges and see how they fare comparatively speaking. This will all be evaluated against the HRC hardness levels 50 through 62. This experiment should answer the question of whether or not the sharpening process itself alters the physical structure of the steel somewhat, significantly or not at all.
Test (3) will simply see how different initial sharpness levels fare at different hardness levels.
If you have a suggestion for a different or particular test that might be run with this group of samples we'd be happy to hear about it.
Edit: Oh yes, forgot to mention that we have recently witnessed our 3000th post come and go. That's a lot of quality content and a lot of keystrokes. EOU and BESS thank you all wholeheartedly for your participation and support here.