Heating hardened steel

37chief · May 28, 2016

My flail mower has a bad design holding the blades to the rotating drum. The piece holding the blades is made of 1/2 inch hardened steel shaped like a W. When I hit a big rock they bend, and I lose a couple blades, and the hanger. There goes around ten bucks. Sometime I find them. I try pounding them over an anvil they break half the time. If I heat them and bend them back to shape will they lose their hardness? Thanks for any info. Stan

Greg K · May 28, 2016

I believe it is how you cool them that will let them keep their temper. I'll wait for answers from people who know. Good question

JD Seller · May 28, 2016

Heat them and bend them. Then heat them light red and oil cool them slowly. Meaning dip and pull out and them dip again. This will allow them to have temper but not be glass hard like they would be if rapid cooled with water.

Paul from MI · May 28, 2016

Without knowing the particular alloy they were made of and the hardening process used when they were made it's impossible to give specific advice. Generally speaking plain carbon alloys can be heated to a temperature below the temperature used to draw them with out changing their hardness. Again, specific information is necessary to advise on this.

Janicholson · May 28, 2016

JD has the answer. If they seem too soft, use water with the sam methods. If still soft, heat to medium red and quench full cold water and move them in the water. Jim

Heating hardened steel

37chief

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Greg K

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JD Seller

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Paul from MI

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Janicholson

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