Frizzen sole material

[Taevers]

Here's a dumb question for those smarter than myself. If hard silver flows at about 1400F, and steel goes nonmagnetic at about 1400F, how does one harden a freshly soled frizzen that's been silver soldered? Is a lower quench temp ok, or is a different higher temp brazing material used, or something else entirely?

I clamp the frizzen lightly with vise grips while heating the sole face with a soft flame on my acetylene torch till a nice cherry red. I believe Nick has a better idea of tig welding the new face material and will use his approach for soleing future ones.

 

[LRB]

Agree they are generally good stuff, There where a lot of steels developed in old Sheffield I have a book on them but I get lost in the technical stuff . The Abbey Dale old forge where crucible steel was made is restored .Bengamin Huntsman A clock maker needed reliable steel for his clocks hence his study. There was Wootz steel from India was worth its worth its in gold favored prier to the Sheffield crucible steel . Quite how the Damascus steels fit in unsure but Ime particularly fond of' Damascus' barrels if I made no study of their swords .
Regards Rudyard

Wootz steel is also a crucible steel. What is commonly called Damascus steel today is two or more different steels/iron folded and hammer forge welded in layers to make decorative patterns in the billet. Wootz steel might be considered a mono steel. Common Damascus steel will have one its steels softer than another in its makeup, and this causes a combination in a blade edge of soft and hard sections. Miniscule of course, but an edge of mono steel being equal to the grade and hardest steel present in the Damascus will last longer than the Damascus edge. I don't know if that matters in making good sparks, but it is something to consider.

 

[LRB]

Here's a dumb question for those smarter than myself. If hard silver flows at about 1400F, and steel goes nonmagnetic at about 1400F, how does one harden a freshly soled frizzen that's been silver soldered? Is a lower quench temp ok, or is a different higher temp brazing material used, or something else entirely?

Harden the sole first, use 60/40 soft solder to mount to the frizzen face. It flows around 370°, give or take a degree or two, which will attach and temper your sole to just about perfect. Silvaloy hard solder melts and flows around 1200° or 1250°, but that is still too hot for your needs.