Got a question

[Deleted]

I picked up a three tine pitchfork at an auction last summer along with some other 'junk', and it seems someone bent a tine, heated it to straighten it out, and didn't re-temper it, because it bent again easily.

I did an old school temper of heating it to a cherry red and oil quenching it. It seems to be better (on a light duty test), but does anyone here know if there is a better way to re-temper "tool steel"?

I have some Kasenite, but hate to use it for something like a pitchfork - it could become too brittle and break.

[beowoulf90]

I don't have any ideas..
I would have done just what you did already..
I think the question is now will that light/thin piece of even hold a temper anymore? Or will it just buckle under any hard use, no matter what you do?

I don't have an answer.. Pieces like that just become tent stakes for me.. The Civil War reenacting unit we belong to can always use tent stakes.. Or it just gets thrown into the scrap barrel..

[farmchix]

Could you add more steel to it?

[Deleted]

Heat it till a magnet will not stick then oil quench till cool. clean it good and Put it in the oven at 350 for 2 hrs then let it cool on its on.

[Deleted]

Thanks, @m5farms. I did a 'passing flame' the tine for a few minutes after oil quenching just to the smoke point of the oil (surface temp about 500F) and let air cool, but if the fork doesn't work out satisfactorily, I'll have to take it out of the handle to re-do it, as it won't otherwise fit in the oven.

If I don't post back, it's working ok.