There are four basic steps in the process of heat treating tool steel: Preheating, Heating (also caused austenitizing), Quenching, and Tempering. Depending on the tool steel being treated and the ultimate applications for which it is intended, other steps can be added to the process as well.

Can tool steel be heat-treated?

There are four basic steps in the process of heat treating tool steel: Preheating, Heating (also caused austenitizing), Quenching, and Tempering. Depending on the tool steel being treated and the ultimate applications for which it is intended, other steps can be added to the process as well.

What is M4 steel used for?

M4 is an extremely versatile high-speed steel with its extremely high carbon and vanadium contents for exceptional abrasion-resistance. It is well suited for premium cutting tools of all types, particularly those used for machining abrasive alloys, castings and heat-treated materials.

What kind of steel is M4?

high speed steel
often called simply PM M4 steel, is a special-purpose type of high speed steel. It is noted for its wear-resistance characteristics. It has very high carbon and vanadium contents. It is an excellent choice for premium cutting tools such as those used on abrasive alloys, heat-treated materials and castings.

Is M4 a tool steel?

M4 is another in the Molybdenum High Speed Tool Steels. It has a relatively high 1.3% carbon content for high hardness and excellent wear resistance. Used for cutting tools of all types for machining operations.

How do you protect steel from heat treatment?

To prevent scaling and decarburization, care is taken to apply a uniform coating layer on the component. The coating also reduces decarburization on billets and ingots during hot-forging and hot-rolling operations. Heat transfer from the heating medium to the metal is unaffected by the coating.

What temperature do you heat treat steel?

For most grades a 1200/1250 degrees F temperature is used and soak times are similar to tem- pering. Heat treated steels may be similarly stress relieved at a temperature about 25 degrees F lower than the last tempering temperature.

How tough is M4 steel?

CPM M4 hardness is 63.5 to 65.5 HRC as per the Rockwell hardness scale. This high hardness is associated with the high carbon in its composition. This hardness explains the great wear resistance and edge retention exhibited by this steel.

Does M4 steel rust?

If rust is a concern don’t go with m4. Similar to corrosion resistance as 1095, so if you have experience with 1095 use that as a gage to judge if it will be a “rust magnet” to you.

Is M4 steel worth?

Conclusion. The CPM M4 offers great qualities for a knife, in exception of corrosion resistance, it has great edge retention, hardness, and wear resistance.

How do you harden M4 steel?

Heat Treatment M4 steels can be preheated at 788°C (1450°F) and then rapidly heated to 1218°C (2224°F) for 3-5 minutes followed by oil, salt bath or air quenching process.

How do you prevent heat treatment scaling?

Why does steel need to be protected from heat?

To protect (or delay) the failure of structural steel it is insulated to delay the steel of reaching the critical temperatures that would cause them to fail.

How to heat treat M4 steel?

M4 steels can be preheated at 788°C (1450°F) and then rapidly heated to 1218°C (2224°F) for 3-5 minutes followed by oil, salt bath or air quenching process. It is better if the M4 steel is not hot forged. Conventional methods can be applied for the cold working process with the alloy in the annealed condition.

How do you heat treat high speed steel?

M4 High Speed Steel Thermal Treatments. To minimize distortion and stresses in large or complex tools use a double preheat. Heat at a rate not exceeding 400°F per hour (222°C per hour) to 1100°F (593°C) equalize, then heat to 1450-1550°F (788-843°C). For normal tools, use only the second temperature range as a single preheating treatment.

It is well suited for premium cutting tools of all types, particularly those used for machining abrasive alloys, castings and heat-treated materials. The high carbon content enables M4 steel to be hardened in excess of 65HRC.

What is CPM Rex M4 HC steel?

CPM Rex M4 HC Powder Metal High Speed Steel. CPM Rex M4 HC high-speed steel is an extremely versatile high speed steel that provides a unique combination of high wear resistance with high impact toughness and transverse bend strength. A large volume of vanadium carbides provides the high wear resistance.