How not to cook the steel with torch?

[Bayoublaster]

I plan to hopefully make my first knife soon. I'll be using either 1/8 or 3/16 O1 and the school's Oxy-Acetylene torch.I've read it's better to soak the steel in the heat. I think I can figure out how to heat it until the steel demagnetizes. How could I soak the steel with the torch without getting it too hot and baking the steel?

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Using a torch will work on a smaller blade. Heat slowly (you don't need a welding flame) and check often with a magnet to determine when it becomes non-magnetic. That is the temperature you want to hold it at.Notice the color of the blade when it becomes non-mag. With a torch,one minute is a long time,but try to hold the color and don't let it become much brighter. When a sufficient time has passed and the blade is evenly the same color,quench in oil. Because of the smoke,you might try peanut oil or olive oil (even add an ounce of clove oil - makes the smoke smell good),they doesn't smell and smoke so bad. Keep the blade under the oil for 30 seconds so it won't smoke as much when you pull it out. Larger blades are harder to do with a torch.If possible,do all quenching outside. Smoke and fire alarms hate the oil smoke from quenching.Have all safety gear,like a tank lid and a fire extinguisher close by when doing the quench. Putting the torch in a stand or vise and holding the blade will make torch HT easier.The flame should be soft.wide ,and reducing.
Stacy