Vallorbe hardness test files

A video for knife making tool geeks. I think these Rockwell hardness test files are an essential part of your shop when you start heat treating tools and knife steel. They can easily tell you if your steel has hardened and roughly how hard the steel has gotten. While no match for a bench mounted indentation tester these will get you confident in your heat treating ability.
Get a set yourself at:
www.artisansupplies.com.au/pr...

[@redapproves1330]

I got the same set of hardness test files to test my 1075 knives. Even after followed the instructions that came with the files, I wasn't 100% sure if done correctly. This excellent video with clear instructions reaffirmed my test results. Thanks!

[@batcountryforge5945]

Thanks Red glad it helped. They are a super handy tool. Beter than using any old file thats for sure

[@StackhouseKnives]

Awesome video :)

[@adamgrossman6833]

The sound does change, but the large bar is a bad example. A larger piece will have a lower resonant tones, so it will sound deeper. Test similar size pieces, for better results.

[@joarflesja1516]

Thanks for sharing👍

[@batcountryforge5945]

Thanks mate!

[@evank7113]

Awesome vid mate , doing the aussies proud

[@batcountryforge5945]

Thanks mate

[@scottecooke]

Awesome video. Thanks I am going to put another order in with gameco in the next few months. I will have to decide if I want these or not by then. When you HT your 1075 how long do you temper for and how many times? On the website it only tells you temps but not times or number of cycles.

[@batcountryforge5945]

All steel should be tempered twice for 2 hours each time, coming back to room temperature in between the tempering rounds. Use the tempering charts for the relevant steel to work out what temperature you should be aiming for.

[@scottecooke]

Thanks so much for letting me know I will try that next time.

[@adamgrossman6833]

Rebranded Tsubosan (chinese) test files. Probably better price for the Tsubosan.

[@joelsciamma9322]

Tsubosan is Japanese not Chinese.

[@msblades5382]

What brand was the needle files you showed? Thanks

[@batcountryforge5945]

M&S BLADES vallorbe hardness files

[@metalmediapl]

There is few producers with the same "set". You can find it here: sklep.metalmedia.pl/pl/p/Tsubosani-40-65-HRC/26743

[@FkRoP]

Five years old, but I have a question please (if you're still active). Do you just test this on the very edge? Is that because that area will be removed during sharpening anyway?

[@batcountryforge5945]

No you can test all over as long as you have ground the scale back and are checking steel itself rather than oxide. Its often interesting to see how the thickness will impact hardness. A slightly softer spine might be preferrable but you need to know that the "working" part of the blade has hardened as you intended.

[@FkRoP]

Thanks mate

[@FkRoP]

​@@batcountryforge5945Hello again! A quick question please. Should you run the file across the edge or the flats of the bevel? I have a piece of steel that skates on the edge up to about 60, but scratches the flats.
Also, how much pressure should I apply? I know that's hard to describe...

[@WinterXI]

so at what point do you test the hardness, before or after tempering? i would assume after its been tempered in the oven

[@warren1953]

After

[@evanvandenberg2260]

You test wherever you have a goal hardness to reach, wether that is before or after.

[@philipp594]

Rockwell c indicates the shape of diamond used. C being a rounded one.

[@batcountryforge5945]

Copy, I have a big electronic one now, Ill have a look but I'm pretty sure it does have a round indenter.

[@batcountryforge5945]

I had a quick google, rockwell b apparently means ball, and rockwell C means it has a cone indenter. Load force is also different between the 2 tests. Good comment, I never would have come back to think about that.

[@philipp594]

@@batcountryforge5945 sorry, I remembered it wrong.

[@12346unkown]

Jesus christ staahp the poor knife 😂

[@batcountryforge5945]

Thanks mate, have you given them a go yet!