NITINOL ICE BLADES

摘要

A Nitinol ice blade (30) includes a blade body having attachment structure (32) by which it is held in a blade holder (26) of an ice travel device, such as an ice skate or ice boat (20). The products are made by processes that include selecting a Type 60 Nitinol sheet (60) or bar (62) that has been hot-worked at a temperature of above about 900 degrees Celsius to a reduction of at least about 2% in the dimension of the hot-working. Blade blanks (64) are cut from the sheet, and the blade banks (64) are heated to between 600 degrees Celsius to about 800 degrees Celsius and immediately quenched to ambient temperature to produce blanks having a hardness of about 48-53RC. The running edge of the blade blanks a ground to a desired profile and sharpness. The ground blades may then be heated to an elevated temperature of about 850-1000 degrees Celsius and immediately quenched to produce a hardness at the edge of above 56 RC.