Hardening

S

Smithie

Joined
May 6, 2003
Messages
11
I am currently working on my second knife and I don't know what to use to harden it with. I can't use motor oil, hydrolic oil etc. I want to make up a brine solution and boil it in a steel bucked. Would that work? If so what proportion would the water to salt ration be? Or would kitchen oils work as the hardening solution such as olive oil, soy oil etc.?

Thanks,
Matt
 
Welcome to BFC. Enjoy!:D
Although I don't know what steel you are using, Olive oil works great as a quenching medium. Get it up to a minimum of 125 degrees F, before quenching.
Good luck.
 
What type steel are you wanting to quench?? I may be able to send some heat treat specifications to you.

I have been using common vegitable oil for quenching oil quench steels. As mentioned by Mike, warm the quenching liquid to between 125 and 140 F. before quenching.

Roger
 
I hope this is okay with Matt,

He told me he is using a spring leaf off a car at a junk yard. I have thought that the older model vehicles used 5160 for leaf springs but that newer models use something, or may use something, other than that.

This looks like a post for forgers who know this stuff. I do not. I hope someone can help him with good HT advise.

Roger
 
The composition of the steel determines what you quench it in. Starting with the most severe they are - brine, water ,oil, air.Most knife steels would use oil. Try oil and if it doesn't come out hard enough try water. I wonder if those that use olive oil use extra virgin olive oil ?
 
Would a boiling brine solution be acceptial, Because the posibility of an oil fire is very encourageing.

I appreciate your guys help
Matt
 
I use common 15W40 multigrade motor oil for quenching. I heat it up plunging into it a lump of steel welded to a piece of rebar stock which I previously heat to red into the forge.
Never had a fire.
 
Canola and peanut oil make very good quenchants. Canola has a flash point of 531*F and peanut oil is 520*F.

Ken Beatty
 
You want to be careful using motor oil. It is a known carcinogen. Even skin contact should be avoided, or washed off ASAP.
 
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