Did a test today on a tool made with A2 tool steel. It was a huge success ATP-641 Tool Made; Head shaping tool for copper rivets, body thickness is the maximum extension of rivet needed allowing length for filing flat before shaping. APPLICATION OF ATP-641 Mixing Instructions: For best results, the coatings should be well suspended and mixed. Coatings supplied at viscosity which can be adjusted for most coating techniques and processes. The viscosity can be adjusted with water and electrolytes. Metal Preparation: Metal surfaces must be free of dirt, oil, grease and loose scale for best results. How to Apply: The water based coatings can be sprayed with conventional, electrostatic or airless spray systems. May also be flow coated, dipped or brushed. Thickness: The proper thickness depends on the metal to be processed, time and temperature. Coating thickness is most important and must be controlled. Drying: The coatings are water based and should be dried. They can be applied to preheated metal up to temperatures of 150-200 F. They can be air dried or dried in a drier. ATP-641 may be used in an electric knife makers kiln, furnace or forge. A2 TYPICAL APPLICATIONS Typical applications for A2 tool steel are blanking, forming, and trim dies, stamping dies, coining dies, thread roller dies, knurls, knurling tools, mandrels, master hobs, cold forming tools, spindles, shear blades, slitter blades, molds, punches, block and ring gauges, punch plates, reamers, brick mold liners, forming rolls, etc HEAT TREATING PREHEAT PRIOR TO HARDENING Insert coated part into furnace at preheat temperature of 1350-1450F and hold at this temperature until part is uniformly heated. HARDENING After thorough preheating, heat to 1750-1800F. Hold the work piece at the hardening temperature until it is completely and uniformly heated. QUENCHING A2 is an air hardening steel and will develop full hardness on cooling in still air and the majority of ATP-641 will fall off before 150F is reached. IF some ATP-641 remains attached it can be removed with water followed immediately be a temper cycle Tool after air quenching and prior to tempering https://canadian-artisan.com/knife-making/heat-treating/
Customer sent in a picture of the first knife he used ATP-641 on, only thing on the blade is quench oil and residual clay on the handle area.
You can see the difference between oil quenching and air quenching. Oil is nice and even color while the air quench creates a interesting rainbow. If the stainless steel you use can handle a oil quench then it will come out similarly
