Using a reasonable heat treatment process for H13 medium-to-heavy plate shear blades can provide the necessary mechanical properties and significantly extend their service life.

However, if heat treatment defects occur due to improper process design or operational errors, the blade's load-bearing capacity will be severely compromised. This leads to premature failure and a shortened lifespan. Common heat treatment defects include overheating, burning, decarburization, cracking, uneven hardened layers, and insufficient hardness.

After H13 steel blades have been in service for a certain period and internal stresses have accumulated to a critical limit, a stress-relief tempering process should be performed. Failure to do so may result in cracking caused by these internal stresses during continued service.