Tools went through a fire. Metallurgy? Annealing to reuse?

[alex e]

At first blush I'd say you have no idea how hot they got or for how long. Also you need to know exactly what steel you are dealing with, since hand tools come from all over and could contain anything as far as steels go. If you do know these two factors for each tool, then you have somewhere to start. I can look them up in the heat treatment/steel guide I have if you can give me a list.
The thermo-cycling we use for our blades hardens the spine of the blade by using an acetylene torch and heating the spine only until non-magnetic, then quenching the cutting edge down in the quenchant for a slow cool. At least three time the process is repeated a day apart each time. You can also allow the blade to slowly cool and observe how it loses its redness, then it will glow red again as it reaches an even lower temp and then it goes into the quenchant. You can see it if working at night and can take the blade outside into the dark. It's cool to watch.

Does this help?




Now, these tools probably are just fine to toss into a toolbox marked "HOME" and give them to your wife.

 

[e9999]

yup, too many unknowns I think to make sense of. I did try to harden a couple by heating with a torch and then dropping them in water. Then I tested them with a spring-actuated centerpunch. The hole was a tad smaller on the "hardened" ones but nothing to be too excited about.
I'll just try a couple in the field (with gloves on) and report.
thanks

 

[wfd175]

I'm not sure if brand makes a difference. The only surving sockets and box ends we have left are originally from Sears. The generic stuff was the first to break. I tried to take back broken and burnt to Sears to no avail.

The sockets were the first to start breaking. Then the box ends. It was the box end of the that usually broke, not the closed end. The sockets would simply split.

As I look down at the scars on my knuckes while typing this, I would definately suggest using some gloves.

We did replace all of the tools with insurance money. They let us keep the burnt tools, they were just going to throw them away anyway.

 

[alex e]

Makes sense. I'd give them to the grandkids for when they want to play shop in your garage. My grandfather had his cheap-o tools & stuff separate so we could "work" all we wanted to with "our" tools. It is a fond memory. That's when the wrenching sickness began I am certain...............

 

[e9999]

I'm not sure if brand makes a difference. The only surving sockets and box ends we have left are originally from Sears. The generic stuff was the first to break. I tried to take back broken and burnt to Sears to no avail.

The sockets were the first to start breaking. Then the box ends. It was the box end of the that usually broke, not the closed end. The sockets would simply split.

As I look down at the scars on my knuckes while typing this, I would definately suggest using some gloves.

We did replace all of the tools with insurance money. They let us keep the burnt tools, they were just going to throw them away anyway.

odd, try again with Sears. They did exchange all my burnt ones without any question...

 

[wfd175]

Unfortunately, we didn't keep the broken tools. I tried about 8-9 years ago at our local store. Oh, well what's done is done.

 

[alex e]

I'll be looking at the book for hardening processes tonite if you can tell me what steels you have. I'll post results in the am....

 

[e9999]

I'll be looking at the book for hardening processes tonite if you can tell me what steels you have. I'll post results in the am....

sorry don't know any more than what's stamped on the things: "chrome vanadium", "drop forged" etc. These were run of the mill tools, not fancy stuff.

 

[alex e]

Introduction: Heat treating is defined as heating and cooling a solid metal or alloy in such a way a to obtain desired conditions or properties.
Heat treating/Key Components: Normalizing, Annealing, Stress Relieving, Surface hardening, Quenching/Quenchants, Tempering, Cold or Cryogenic Treatments, Furnace Atmospheres

Chrome Vanadium is comparable in quality to 8650 steel, which I looked up and discovered: 8650 is a borderline steel between medium carbon grade and high carbon grade. High strength but not very hard. Forging temp is 2250 F max, 1695 F min. Should cool slowly.
Recommended heat treating practice: Normalize by heating to 1600 F and air cool. Annealing: pearlitic ( grain structure- heat to 1525 F, cool to 1200 F and hold for 8 hours. Annealing: spheroidized (improved cold formability) grain structure- heat to 1380 F and cool to 1200 F and hold for 10 hours. Hardening- Austenitize at 1555 F (improved ductility, toughness and strength at at given hardness) and quench in oil. Tempering: after quenching temper immediately at 300 F or higher, select tempering F by desired combination of mechanical properties.