I stand corrected on the temperatures. This is what happens when you try and remember things from years ago. Anyway I looked up tempertures of plain carbon steel and this is by using your eyes as an idicator.
1075 deg.F Red heat visible in sunlight.
1290 Dark red
1470 Dull cherry red
1650 Cherry red
1830 Bright cherry red
higher than 2200 deg.F is starting to get white and telling temperatures is not possible with the naked eye.
Tempering temperature of plain carbon steel by color:
430 deg.F very pale yellow
440 light yellow
450 pale straw-yellow
460 straw yellow
470 deep straw yellow
480 dark yellow
I also agree with Steve to buy screwdrivers and grind them.
Last edited by JDW; 06/23/07 07:28 PM.
