[How do I?] What Part Of A Tap Is Hardened?

I guess sticking a tap into your arm is one way to quench it!
Thanks for all the replies. I guess the consensus is that they are hardened from the tip to the tang. I tested mine with a file as recommended, and indeed the tang end seems hardened. It will make a good tool for cutting a key way. Look for that in another thread.
R
 
HSS taps are through hardened.

And yes, I cut a large radius on a big blank with a torch so I wouldn't have so much to grind, and experimented with the cut off piece. Still same as original material as far as I could tell.
 
In the salt bath heat treating, the first bath is 3000 deg., next is 2500, and the last is 2000, then they are run in a draw furnace at about 500 dreg.
 
Hijack!!
Anybody ever anneal a hss drill? Thinking of converting some bad mt 2 shank drills to other taper shank tools. But would have to cut off the drill section, work it into the new tool, probably no need to regarded after, but could. I've read up on annealing hss, but wondered about practical experience before I dive in.
 
eeler1 said:
Hijack!!
Anybody ever anneal a hss drill? Thinking of converting some bad mt 2 shank drills to other taper shank tools. But would have to cut off the drill section, work it into the new tool, probably no need to regarded after, but could. I've read up on annealing hss, but wondered about practical experience before I dive in.
Click to expand...

I believe the tapered portion of taper shank drills are always in the soft state. You cannot anneal HSS in the home shop.
 
In follow up: Yes the entire tap was hardened as tested by a file and then in the grinder. I was able to make a nice key way cutter for the pulley for my belt grinder (shown elsewhere.)
R
 
Re HSS, you are all right of course, I was coming at the problem from the other end, in that you cannot harden HSS, or for that matter anneal it either. I was "tired and emotional"
Phil
 
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