For my first project I have ordered some cpm 154. Should I rethink this and choose a different blade steel. Let me know you think. Planning on building a small propane fire brick kiln. Planning to use a high temp thermometer to help control temp. Any ideas......
154 cpm is a great steel.you can use my paragon oven with foil wrap on the blade to prevent scale to get started.
CPM154 is a nice steel, but if you want to learn to heat treat your own blades in a home made forge, stick with carbon steels. 1084 is probably the most forgiving steel you can find. It makes great knives, is easy to work, easy to heat treat, and inexpensive too.
As the others have said, if you want to do your own heat treating 1084 will be the best option. Stainless steels such as cpm154 need to be foil wrapped to keep oxygen away, and require precise temps and soak times that won't be possible in a propane forge. If a piece of 154 or other similar stainless was held at proper soak temp in a forge, it would be virtually destroyed by the time it was ready for quench.
Thanks for all the great advice and help. Speeding up the learning curve and saving me time, money and heartache. Looking forward to getting started.
