For everybody who decide to make pick like this, be careful to dip the whole thing in the water right after welding. Spring steel has a lot of carbon and by dipping it like this you most likely overquench it and it becomes really brittle around the welds. And you certainly don't want it to explodes into your eyes when you prying something. I think its better just to make sure that heat doesn't go to the ends, but it is maybe also unnecessary, because this steel is so carbony and so its very resilient no matter of quenching. Maybe even unguenched material will serve you just fine.
I have made a lot of of knives and I am not worried about the temper of the blade. This is the 5th one of these I have made. No issues with any of them so far. Thanks
Was thinking the same thing if you quench carbon steel you need to temper it back or not quench to start with. A damp/wet rag is all that is needed to stop the heat “rising” to the ends, doesn’t matter if the centre portion is over heated as this will only make it softer and bend rather than shatter.
