The combination of carbon, manganese, chrome and molybdenum results in a steel that has excellent strength characteristics as well as superior wear and corrosion resistance. Return to top of page Heat Treating As important as the material selection itself, the key to a long lasting cutting component is its heat treatment. All of Lund's forage harvester knives undergo several heat treatments which are designed to enhance the knife's performance as well as its useful life. There are many types of heat treating utilized by Lund, including selective zone hardening, through hardening, and carburizing. Often, a combination of heat treatments is used to optimize the cutting performance of the knife.
Heat treatment is an essential step in the knife making process.
Until a knife is heat treated, it has neither strength nor resistance to wear. On subsequent cooling the steel undergoes significant transformations to form the very hard steel structure known as Martensite. Tempering the knife at about 400 degree F relieves the stresses resulting from this process. This treatment produces a knife edge that is very hard and will retain its sharpness far longer than the untreated steel. The mounting body of the knife, however, is not affected by this treatment.