Paragon KM-14T Knife Maker’s Heat Treating Furnace 120 Volt
5.5"W x 4.25"H x 15"D
2350°F Maximum Temperature
120 Volts / 1 Phase / 60 Hz
14 Amps
1600 Watts
Sentry 12-Key Controller
NEMA 5-15P Cordset
Door Switch
Solid State Relay with Safety back-up
Paragon KM-14T Knife Maker’s Heat Treating Furnace
Great knives helped carve out the wilderness,
fight wars, and save lives. Explorers have carried them to distant
lands. Knives have earned their place in history. At Paragon we are
excited that knives heat treated in the KM-14T are making history right
now. The KM-14T was our first knifemaking furnace. We introduced it in
1986 with an advertisement in Blade magazine. The KM-14T has the full
12-key Sentry controller. Also available is the Xpress-KM-14 with the
economical 3-key Sentry Xpress controller and the Sentinel Smart Touch.
Test exotic heat treating formulas
When you own a Paragon knife heat treat oven, you can live the knife making adventure to the fullest. You will actually witness the birth of your blades in the bright red heat of the 120-volt knife furnace.
Many knifemakers enjoy owning a knife forging furnace, because they can revel in testing their favorite steels. They put blades
through tests more severe than any knife owner would dare. Yes, they
test for Rockwell hardness, but they don’t stop there. They test the
knife against hemp rope and 2x4s. How long will the blade remain sharp?
They bend the blade to 45° or even 90°. Then they straighten the blade,
slap on a handle and test it in the real world.
The knife maker with a KM-series Paragon knife heat treat oven can try exotic heat treating methods at his leisure. Does quenching in dry
ice improve blade performance? What happens when 52100 steel is
triple-quenched with a one-day wait between each quench? After this
treatment, will the blade bend to 90° without chipping?
With a Paragon 120-volt knife furnace in your shop, all questions about heat treating formulas are finally settled. It is no
longer only theory. You find out for yourself what works. Testing and
heat treating are at the heart of the knife making adventure. Here is
where your confidence as a knife maker takes root. Experiment with
differential hardening, an ancient bladesmith technique. Try out the
newest tool steels. Are they really as good as the tried and true D2 and
A2?
New higher furnace temperatures
This Paragon knife heat treat oven is now rated to 2350 degrees F, so you can heat treat as hot as you need to.
Choose a side swing door or a drop door
You can order a Paragon knifemaking furnace
with either a drop door or a side-swing door. (The photo above shows the
traditional drop door. Scroll down to Options to see the side swing
door.) The price of the 120-volt knife furnace is the same with either door style.
The drop door opens downward with one-handed
operation. A counter-weight handle holds the door securely closed. The
door, whether drop or side-swing, is mounted on a heavy-duty 1/2” thick
hinge shaft for smooth opening. Because of the rigid case and heavy
hinge, the door is sturdy enough for years of faithful service.
Door safety switch
The door micro safety switch shuts off the
power to the elements when the door is opened, yet the controller
continues to give a temperature readout. The safety switch is standard on the KM series Paragon knife heat treat ovens.
Choose from the optional paint colors
As shown in the photos, the standard 120-volt knife furnaces are painted a deep black, which would look perfect in your shop. You can choose a different paint color at no extra charge.
(Choose from the paint colors listed below the furnace specifications.
Scroll down.)
A bond of trust between you and the knife owner
The knife maker’s credo is to create a knife
that represents the knife maker himself. Quality of work is not just a
fad for him. It is a passion. Anything less than one’s best is
unthinkable. You are creating knives for people who can appreciate
craftsmanship.
The buyer of a custom knife can see fine
detail. He or she marvels at the lines and curves the maker coaxed from
the steel with such patience. The custom knife maker appreciates the
difference between high-carbon steels such as D2 and lower-grade steels
used in the mass market. There is a bond of trust between the owner of a
fine knife and you, its maker. This is why the knife maker sleeps
better when he controls every step in creating a knife.
The knife maker derives joy from working
with his hands. He makes knives that are not merely prized, but
treasured. When the knife owner wipes a rag across such a knife, he is
caressing as much as cleaning it. Part of this spirit of knife making is
lost when you send the blade out for heat treating and await its
return.
Every time you, the maker, release one of your knives to the world, your
reputation goes with it. This is why makers feel compelled to control
every step in the blade’s journey from initial design through final
polishing.
No more waiting for commercial heat treating
A Paragon KM-series 120-volt knife furnace sets you, the knife maker, free. No more wrapping blades and shipping them to your heat
treater. No more waiting until you have a dozen blades to get the best
price on heat treating. No more turning away orders for last-minute
gifts.
While your 120-volt knife furnace is hardening and tempering blades, you can busy yourself grinding more knives or fitting handles.
After you’ve used your Paragon knife heat treat oven awhile, you will wonder how you ever got along without it.
When asked to make a knife on short notice—whether for a Marine Corps
awards presentation, a soldier’s pre-deployment farewell sendoff, or an
archaeologist on his way to Africa—you will be ready. When a custom
knife is needed as a going away gift, and the recipient is leaving in
three days, you will be ready. Your KM-series furnace might even pay for
itself on rush orders you would otherwise have missed.
Own a furnace and you alone decide when you
will complete a knife. If you stay up one Friday grinding a knife, you
can heat treat it that evening and deliver it Saturday morning. Just in
time for a grateful wife to present to her husband on his birthday.
Finishing a knife whenever you want will
excite you. You will find yourself working into the night to complete a
new design. On the other hand, when you send the blade out for heat
treating, the excitement of making it is forgotten. By the time the
blade returns, you hardly remember it.
Even if most of your knives would fit inside
the KM-14T, you may ultimately be happier with the KM-24T, a popular
size. Too much capacity may be better than too little. After all, it
doesn’t hurt to heat shorter blades in the longer KM-24T; electrical
consumption is minimal. Our newest KM-18T is mid-way in length between
the KM-14T and KM-24T so you can buy just the right size for your needs.
Solid furnace construction
The furnace is insulated with 3” thick
refractory firebrick, which is 1/2” thicker than the standard. The
elements are mounted in dropped, recessed grooves machined into the
firebrick. This groove protects the element for long life and low
maintenance. Elements are simple to replace because they can be lifted
directly from the groove. You can replace elements following
instructions in the printed manual. The firing chamber is protected by a
rigid steel case. A built-in solid stand lifts the firing chamber
safely off your worktable. The thermocouple wire is kept inside the
control box for protection from the harsh environment of the typical
bladesmith shop.
Printed instruction manuals
Your furnace includes a wiring diagram, a
controller instruction manual, and a heat treating manual with heat
treating instructions for D2, 440C, ATS 34 and 154 CM. The manuals are
written in plain English for the beginner.
Made in America
All Paragon furnaces are made in Mesquite, Texas USA. We are proud to support the American worker.
Optional gas injection flow meter
During heat treating, scale forms on the
steel. You can eliminate most scaling by wrapping the blades in
stainless steel foil. Or you can install the gas injection flow meter on
your furnace. It is available as either an add-on kit, or you can order
the furnace with the meter installed. The meter regulates the flow of
an inert gas, such as argon, inside the furnace. The gas displaces the
oxygen to prevent some of the scaling.
The knifemaking kit
In addition to the furnace, you will need a
knifemaking kit, which separates the blades and holds them parallel
inside the furnace. Please click the link below in the Options section.
| Thermocouple with “special limit” wire
The thermocouple senses temperature inside
the kiln. It is the small rod that extends into the firing chamber. The
¼” wide Type-K, 14-gauge, exposed-tip thermocouple is made with
special-limit wire for superior accuracy. The exposed tip gives the
controller a fast response time for even temperatures during holds. The
thermocouple is made in America to our exacting standards.
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| Designed for production
Paragon’s warranty is not affected by
frequency of use. Fire your new kiln every day if you want, even in
commercial settings. That will have no effect on the warranty period. |
The Optional Knifemaking Kit
In addition to the furnace, you will need a
Knife-making Kit, which separates the blades and holds them parallel
inside the furnace.
Specifications
Max. Temperature
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2350F
1287C
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Amps
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16
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Phase
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1
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Watts
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1920
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Nema
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5-20P
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Breaker Size
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20
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Circuit Copper Wire Size
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12 gauge
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TUV tested to CSA and UL Standard 499
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N
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CE
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N
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Control Type
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Sentry Digital 12-key Non-Ceramic
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Voltage
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120
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Hertz
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60
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Disclaimer: The specifications above assume that the kiln
will be plugged into a dedicated circuit. Local electric codes supersede
our recommendations.
The pricing and electrical specifications for the above products
reflect their design for use in the United States. The International
versions of most models will have variations in electrical
specifications and price due to consumer safety requirements or
electrical regulations.
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Kiln Type
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Front Loading Square
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Sides
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4
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Understanding Chamber Measurements
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chamber Volume
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0.19 CU.FT.
5.38 litres
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Chamber Width
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5.50 IN
140 mm
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Chamber Depth
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14.50 IN
368 mm
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Chamber Height
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4.25 IN
108 mm
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The Outer Size of the Kiln and the Shipping Size: Width = Left to Right; Depth = Front to Back; Height = Top to Bottom
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Outer Size
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23.00W x 20.00D x 14.50H Inches
584W x 508D x 368H mm
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Ship Size
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28.75W x 28.50D x 23.00H Inches
730W x 724D x 584H mm
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Ship Weight
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110.00 Lbs.
49.90 Kg.
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Doorway Clearance Needed
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21.00 Inches
533.40 mm
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Ship Method & Notations
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This Kiln Ships Via Truck
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Part Number
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5C21221B00 * Base Model
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