Paragon Kilns KM18 T DOUBLE BARREL Heat Treating Furnace

Double Barrel 18T (KM18 Series)

Long lasting solid state relay

The Double Barrel 18T now has a solid state relay, which lasts far longer than a standard mechanical relay. The solid state relay has no moving parts to wear out. The first thing you will notice is that the solid state relay is silent. You will hear just the reassuring hum of elements. The solid state relay makes heating elements last longer and offers better temperature control during holds.
The Double Barrel 18T includes a mechanical relay as part of a safety circuit.
he Paragon Double Barrel 18T is just the right size for heat treating and case hardening gun parts and knives. Experiment with color base hardening. Restore the faded colors of historic guns. As with the other Paragon furnaces, the Double Barrel 18T has a digital controller so you can program the exact temperature and hold time needed.
The controller eliminates guesswork. Instead of estimating a temperature by the color of the heat, just program a temperature. You will no longer have to adjust a switch to maintain the hold time for case hardening; the controller maintains the hold time for you. Set the hold time for as long as necessary (typically two hours).

Choose a side swing door or a drop door

You can order a Paragon Double Barrel 18T heat treating 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 Paragon heat treat oven 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 Paragon Double Barrel furnaces.

Choose from the optional paint colors

As shown in the photos, the standard knifemaking 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.)

Superior heat distribution

To improve the heat distribution in the Double Barrel 18T, we have added heating elements in the top and removed the heat from the back. The furnace now heats from three directions--the two sidewalls and the top for uniform heating.

The Sentry temperature controller

The Sentry 12-key controller comes with powerful, easy-to-use features. It can give you the cost of electricity to heat treat a load of parts, adjust the rate of heating, and correct programming errors by undoing steps that you need to correct. Before firing the furnace, use Program Review to check that the program you are about to fire is correct. Set an audible temperature alarm to remind yourself to attend to the furnace at a particular temperature. For peace of mind, you can lock the program that is in active memory. You can also delay the time that the firing is to start. The kiln will turn on at that time. The Sentry comes with a 30-month warranty. he standard Double Barrel furnaces can be upgraded with the Sentinel Smart Touch. Please scroll down to Options for details.

Solid furnace construction

The furnace is insulated with 3” thick refractory firebrick, which is 1/2” thicker than the standard. The sidewall elements are mounted in dropped, recessed grooves machined into the firebrick. This groove protects the element for long life and low maintenance. The elements in the top are seated in pinless element grooves. 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 surface of the steel. One way to eliminate most scaling is to wrap the steel in stainless steel foil. Another way is to 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 most scaling. Please remember that results with the flow meter vary depending on the type of inert gas you use and your level of experience. For more details, click on the link in the Options section below. A message from Ed Fowler—explorer, author, and founder of High Endurance Performance Knife Association “Paragon offered me no financial rewards or free equipment for this endorsement. I recommend Paragon furnaces only because they make an excellent, reliable product.
“I've made knives off and on since the sixth grade. I enjoy every second in the shop making knives. I used to harden and temper with a torch. As my skills increased, my testing of knives revealed the benefit of longer and more uniform soak times during the annealing and tempering cycles than were possible with a torch.

“I finally bought a Paragon furnace. It is extremely beneficial to bladesmithing, because it allows us to do things with our blades we couldn't do otherwise. If I had known how good they are, I would have bought one years before I did.
“You don't want to introduce any variables into your blades by accident, and temperature is one such variable. With a Paragon, you know exactly what causes what and why. My advice to beginning knifemakers is to use the best equipment you can as soon as you can add it to your shop. I wasted a lot of time and energy trying to make knives with less than the best equipment for the job. Invest in quality equipment, learn how to use it right, and use your time seeking the best knife you can make.

“Without my Paragon oven, I would have never made the discoveries about steel that I’ve made. I love my Paragon. That Paragon sure made a big difference in my knife making. Any experiment I want to run is right there. If I want to change a heat treatment, I know exactly how. With every knife, I learn more.
“Thermal cycles, commonly known as heat treating of blades, are the most significant single aspect contributing to the quality of a knifemaker’s blade. Knifemakers who wish to explore the absolute frontiers of the world of knives in search of the Excalibur of their dreams must have the ability to design thermal treatments specifically intended to push their steel to the highest limits of performance. Absolute control of the temperature of their blades is absolutely essential to success.
“Paragon makes a nice piece of equipment. I recommend it very highly to anyone who asks and to many people who don't ask. In order to make knives that my customers can depend upon, I have to be able to count on my equipment to provide consistent performance. My Paragon heat treating oven has always provided the degree of dependability I can count on to support my commitment to provide my customers the best functional knife possible.
“Believe me, I'm much richer knowing I'm making the best knife I can. I'm much happier with myself.”


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.


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.
Optional colors at no extra charge


Brighten your studio with color! Order your kiln in one of our standard colors at no extra charge . . . berry, black, blue, hot pink, jade, navy, purple, or turquoise. Scroll down to see color samples in the options section.

Specifications