If you stay at something long enough, your bound to learn something. I think all of us could say that. Here's an example.

Recently, I was speaking with one of our fine clients about their wire edm operation, and our discussion turned to heat treating tool steels.

This particular gentlemen was some years younger than me, and I asked him what steps he used to heat treat his tool steel components. He went through the normal pattern he used to achieve his desired hardnesss on his components, and an idea popped in my head that I had not thought of for years.

So I passed my little tip along to him. I hope it helps you too!

Here's the tip - wrap the tool steel component in a "brown paper bag".....remember try your best to get the air out of the bag; wrap tightly.

Then apply the stainless steel heat treating foil. As you know, try your best to get the "air" out of both bags.

What's the result. If done properly, the brown paper bag burns-up during the heat treating cycle, which in turn helps remove the air from the package. Remember "air" is the enemy in that stainless steel heat treat foil bag, so your goal should be to try your best to remove air...and that brown bag does that, i.e. when the bag burns up, it eliminates the oxygen. Easy huh....

When you remove your component from the stainless steel wrap, the part should come out looking shiny, hopefully better then what you may be accustomed to on your parts.

It's a simple tip, that doesn't cost much (i.e. the price of a brown paper bag), yet the results might save you some time in dressing your component up.

PS I called that customer back a few days later, after he had tried this technique, and he agreed with me that he could see a difference in his heat treated parts. By the way, that tip came to me many years ago by an older southern gentlemen that represented Allegheny-Ludlum Steel Company. I'll never forget 'ol Walt, he knew his steel products, and how to heat treat 'em...

Anyhow, life's good. Hope the tip helps! Your feedback or other tips are welcome as well.

Hit 'em straight!