"Conan the Librarian" wrote in message
...
SNIP
What basic colors are you looking for with hooks? I know among the
woodworking community there is quite a bit of discussion (argument,
really) about which types of tool steel are best for plane irons and
such, and how they should be tempered. In woodworking edge-tools, we
are looking for the balance between hardness and brittleness, and
depending on the type of steel and the application, you might aim for a
brown yellow (plane iron) to a blue (sawblade or scraper).

So what have you found to be the optimal range for hooks?


Chuck Vance

Depends on the steel used. From light straw to blue. Much the same as for
many tools. The simplest thing is to try a few, it does not take long.
"Case hardening", will improve many wires. This can be done on a charcoal
block, or by placing the hooks in charcoal powder, ( or similar) and heating
to red heat.

For the needles I have used I aim mainly for dark straw, and test from
there.

One may temper as many times as one wishes, so it is not really a problem,
except with very fine wires. Hooks below about a size 16 are not really
worth the bother either.

TL
MC