Knifemakers home heat treating recipes : 2026 2nd Edition Workshop Companion & Quick Reference Guide for 30+ Knife Steels—Carbon, Stainless, Tool & CPM Grades

Knifemakers Home Heat Treating Recipes - Second Revised Edition (2026)

The essential knife steel heat-treatment reference guide, crafted by a maker, for makers.

After years of scouring the internet for reliable heat-treating information, SLH Blades founder Stacy Hall compiled this indispensable collection of hardening and tempering recipes for 30+ blade steels. Born from personal experience and countless hours of research since beginning knifemaking in 2012, this workshop companion eliminates the frustration of hunting through manufacturer data sheets and forum threads.

What's New in the 2026 Second Revised Edition:

Based on valuable feedback from readers of the original 2020 edition, this updated version now includes:

Comprehensive normalising protocols - Complete procedures with cycle counts and temperatures for each steel Stress relief guidance - When and how to stress relieve, with specific temperatures by steel type Both Celsius and Fahrenheit temperatures - Every temperature now includes both °C and °F for worldwide accessibility Complete heat treatment sequences - Step-by-step workflows for forged blades, stock removal, and different steel categories Enhanced formatting - Improved consistency and readability throughout Expanded troubleshooting section - Additional solutions to common heat treatment problems What's Inside: Inside, you'll find straightforward, workshop-tested heat-treating protocols tailored explicitly for knife applications. No lengthy metallurgical essays or beginner basics, just the temperatures, times, and techniques you need to achieve the sought-after hardness for blades in the most commonly used blade steels. All temperatures are provided in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.

Steels Covered Include: Simple Carbon Steels Tool & Spring Steels Stainless Steels CPM Powder Steels Each Steel Recipe Includes: Difficulty rating (★ to ★★★★) matched to your equipment NEW: Normalising procedures with specific temperatures and cycle counts NEW: Stress relief protocols tailored to each steel type All temperatures in both °C and °F Precise austenitizing temperatures and soak times Recommended quenching mediums (oil, water, air, plate) Tempering temperatures for target HRC hardness (57-62 HRC) Annealing and normalising procedures Critical temperature ranges and safety notes Space for your personal notes Organised for Quick Reference: Recipes are presented in a consistent, easy-to-follow format with:

Forging temperature ranges (both °C and °F) Step-by-step annealing procedures NEW: Normalising cycles NEW: Stress relief procedures Complete hardening protocols Space for your personal notes This compact reference puts years of collected knowledge at your fingertips, allowing you to spend less time researching and more time in the workshop doing what you love—making exceptional knives.

Perfect for: Home knifemakers setting up their first heat treat oven Experienced bladesmiths adding new steels to their repertoire International makers working in Celsius or Fahrenheit Workshop reference for quick temperature lookups Anyone tired of unreliable forum advice and scattered data sheets Created by a knifemaker who understands the challenges of home heat treating, this resource belongs on the workbench in every bladesmith's workshop.

Stop second-guessing your heat treatments. Get the reliable reference you need and start making better blades today.