Overheated plane iron?

[JohnPW]

Hello all,

Is this evidence of a plane iron that was overheated when it was grounded?

The two dark bits on the bevel are depressions. I've tried scratching with a file but I'm not sure what I should be looking for, If I press fairly hard I can make very light scratches on the bevel.

 

[Graham Orm]

Knackered. How did it happen? Who did it?

 

[Jacob]

Looks like it. If you hone it a few times it'll disappear and you can ignore it.

 

[David C]

It will take a lot more than a few honings to get past that blued metal.

This is the trouble with overheating. It can be cured by grinding away a lot of metal, but the chances of overheating when doing this are high.

David Charlesworth

 

[Vann]

Yup, as Grayorm and Jacob said, it's been overheated, not just on the corner but the full width of the iron from the look of those photos.

Try the iron. See how it holds an edge. But I don't think Jacob is correct, you'll most likely have to grind well into (and possibly past) any discolouration, as the temper of the steel has been affected.

You can remove the discolouration with a light honing of all surfaces, but that only removes the evidence. The remaining steel is still (most likely) softened.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Jason]

Ooopsie! Re David C's point about grinding past the grinding: I've never tried it, but one of those abrasive hacksaw blades might help get past the worst of it and into the good metal, leaving a minimum of new grinding to do.

 

[Jacob]

If you just hone away the evidence you can still use the plane but it might need sharpening slightly more often than before - but it'll be easier to sharpen.
Save a lot of bother compared to major metal working alternatives!

 

[woodbrains]

Ooopsie! Re David C's point about grinding past the grinding: I've never tried it, but one of those abrasive hacksaw blades might help get past the worst of it and into the good metal, leaving a minimum of new grinding to do.

Hello,

You could probably buy a new and better iron for the plane, for the price of one of those blades, which generate a lot of heat themselves when cutting. If I was desparate to save the iron, I would annealand re temper, but since it looks just like a bog standard Bailey iron, I'd replace it and maybe kep the old one for making custom tools for scratching beads or inlay or something.

Mike.

 

[David C]

Good plan,

David

 

[Graham Orm]

Looks like half an inch of coloured steel there. You need to get rid of it, either by grinding or saw it off, and start again......remembering to cool as you go. There is also the possibility that the colouring is only 90% of the damage and that the steel further up the blade, although not coloured could also be annealed....softened.

Throw it and buy new!

 

[Jacob]

I know they mean well these metal workers but believe me - if you just hone gently and remove the evidence in the process, you will not know the difference. You may be sharpening more frequently but who's counting and anyway it will be easier and you need the practice by the sounds of it.
If I'd sawn off every bit of blued metal from my tools I would have got through dozens of them by now!

 

[woodbrains]

I know they mean well these metal workers but believe me - if you just hone gently and remove the evidence in the process, you will not know the difference. You may be sharpening more frequently but who's counting and anyway it will be easier and you need the practice by the sounds of it.
If I'd sawn off every bit of blued metal from my tools I would have got through dozens of them by now!

I'd have learned to grind them without bluing them by now!

Mike.

 

[Jacob]

I know they mean well these metal workers but believe me - if you just hone gently and remove the evidence in the process, you will not know the difference. You may be sharpening more frequently but who's counting and anyway it will be easier and you need the practice by the sounds of it.
If I'd sawn off every bit of blued metal from my tools I would have got through dozens of them by now!

I'd have learned to grind them without bluing them by now!

Mike.

You will, you will!

 

[Sheffield Tony]

Strange isn't it, that we pay so much money for tools precisely hardened when, if Jacob is right, it doesnt really matter all that much ? That blade has been hot. The purple/blue bits might be tolerable, but the end bit is surely pretty soft. Don't bin it though - it is still reuseable tool steel.

 

[Jelly]

Strange isn't it, that we pay so much money for tools precisely hardened when, if Jacob is right, it doesnt really matter all that much ? That blade has been hot. The purple/blue bits might be tolerable, but the end bit is surely pretty soft. Don't bin it though - it is still reuseable tool steel.

He is right, in so much as it will still take an edge and cut. Whether it will hold that edge for long enough to be of any practical use is another matter entirely however... Only one way to find out, No?

 

[Jacob]

Well yes. It'd make more sense to have a go rather than getting into a big panic and hack-sawing half the blade off!
And it'll be perfectly usable but perhaps need sharpening more frequently than before.