Quench oil and alternatives for simple steels like 1080/ 1085???

D

Dixieblade57

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Jun 20, 2007
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I know this subject has been discussed before but I am looking for a fresh perspective. I am working mostly in the 1080/1085 range of steels at present. I may be interested in stepping up to 1090/10095 at a later date, if I can still use the same quench medium. I am looking for a good quench oil for these steels, at a reasonable price. Yes I realize this statement is an oxymoron. :eek:

ox·y·mo·ron/ˌäksəˈmôrˌän/
Noun:
A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction

Is there a distributor that sells in bulk quantities of quench oil for the custom knife maker that is reasonable on their prices? I have been researching everything from Parks to Canola oil, mineral oil, etc. etc. and the prices just blow my mind! Its not only the bulk price but the shipping that is out of this world!

I mean I want the best stuff for the job don't get me wrong, it defeats the purpose otherwise. I know I have heard all the claims from used motor oil to panther wizz! A fella has to do what the pocket book will support. I just sent a request for a 33 gal. drum of canola oil but it has to come all the way down the east coast to get too me and have serious doubts on the price. I can't even find a nearby source for buying Canola oil in 5 gal pails. I know a lot of restaurants use bulk oil why is it so hard to get your hands on it?

If someone has some alternatives that they are getting good results with on the steels I am talking about I am all ears. I would love to hear all about your quench and HT process using the alternatives. I would love to buy Parks mind you but...............!

If anyone know a dealer in the vicinity of N W Florida that is reasonable I would be willing to take a drive to pick up myself! My driving costs are probably going to be cheaper than there delivery fees, within a couple of hundred miles!

A dealer that would make it reasonable for quench oils in the custom knife market would be able to do a stellar business! You could get a few guys in the same general vicinity to go together on a 55 gal. drum and everyone would be happy but, NO they aren't satisfied with a profit they want to make a killing and the higher oil prices are going to help anything.

Seriously and information you all might be willing to share at this point would be greatly appreciated by myself and I sure a few others!!!!!
 
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Thanks Page, for the link and sometimes I get fixated on how I am wording searches and forget it helps to try a different combination of search words. UPDATE:Unfortunately they do not handle canolia oil just pots, pans and other machines! The guy I talked too, did give me a lead on another site!

I still would be interested in any information anyone else wants to share on the subject of quench oils or alternatives for these steels!
 
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Dixie, I would suggest that you bite the bullet a little, and just buy 5 gal. of Parks #50 oil. The oil itself should cost a little more than canola, but the shipping should be about the same. With the Parks #50, you can do most any of the 10XX steels including 1095. Canola will do 1095 to an acceptable degree, but still not as good as the Parks.
 
At the risk of re-opening Quench wars and the horrible waste of bandwidth that followed, LRB is spot-on. I used vegetable oils for years, then I got a deal on a slightly used bucket of Parks 50 and in the middle of a batch of 1084 knives tried the Parks. The difference in sharpening and edge holding surprised me immediately. The Parks is expensive, but well worth it.
One caveat though, if you are going to do edge quenches rather than full immersion you might as well go with Canola

-Page
 
You can get Canola oil easily from Sams Club. Lots of Sam Clubs in Florida to choose from.
 
Yeah I was not trying to open quench wars again!:grumpy: No way!
AVigil I know Sams but there site says the only sell in the gal. and dang the cost is almost as bad as the Parks when I start adding it up!:mad:

Wick, I know the Parks is the best out there (MY OPINION FROM RESEARCH SO IF YOU DON'T AGREE I UNDERSTAND, REMEMBER NOT TRYING TO IGNITE THE QUENCH WARS) ! It hard to buy the best and be cheap at the same time!:eek:

So let me ask the question this way, where is the best place to buy PARKS 50 from where shipping doesn't kill me to my area here in NW Florida? I need approximately 10 gallons but would buy in larger quantities and resale the rest if I can get it at the right prices. I would even be willing to drive to pick up within reason!
 
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You can also try Maxim in TX. Great customer service. I am in MI and it cost me $121 for 5 gallons of Parks #50 to my door. You might want to look into Maxim's DT-48, as it is reputed to be a good alternative to Parks #50, and is a bit less expensive.
 
Why not go to a local fryer restaurant (not a chain place) and see if they will order in a couple extra pails of oil for you? They get them in 5gal pails for a reasonable price and might even waive any extra fees if you offer to sharpen some knives.
 
Just got a quote back on Canola oil.

Our Canola oil – NON-GMO comes in a 190.5 kg drum for $476.25 which contains 54.43 gallons. A 190.5 kg drum of the Organic Canola oil is $678.30, containing 54.29 gallons. I can obtain a freight quote for you if you provide the full shipping address, specify if you need a liftgate for delivery, and if this is commercial or residential. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Dang, :eek:!
 
Dixie I just called gfs And 35# jug of canola oil is 45.99 I think gfs is nationwide and I know SAMs has it in the same size but I don't know the price hope this helps
 
Dixieblade57 said:
Yeah I was not trying to open quench wars again!:grumpy: No way!
AVigil I know Sams but there site says the only sell in the gal. and dang the cost is almost as bad as the Parks when I start adding it up!:mad:

Wick, I know the Parks is the best out there (MY OPINION FROM RESEARCH SO IF YOU DON'T AGREE I UNDERSTAND, REMEMBER NOT TRYING TO IGNITE THE QUENCH WARS) ! It hard to buy the best and be cheap at the same time!:eek:

So let me ask the question this way, where is the best place to buy PARKS 50 from where shipping doesn't kill me to my area here in NW Florida? I need approximately 10 gallons but would buy in larger quantities and resale the rest if I can get it at the right prices. I would even be willing to drive to pick up within reason!
Click to expand...

Just curious, why 10 gallons?
 
Wick I am building a new quench tank. It will hold approx. 10 gals and do a blade up to about 26" in length. I know it is kind of overkill but.............it' for the future.
I will not be planning on doing a blade of that length at this time but I have had one on the drawing board for over 1 1/2 years. I have mentioned it before but for right now I am leaving the details alone except it is part of American history. I have been trying to perfect my knife building and slowly have been dragging together the resources for this piece. So I figure if I am going to go the expense of a good quench oil I might as well buy in quantity, especially if it will get me a better price. I figure if I buy the 10 gals at a decent price I can afford to let the other 5 gals. sit in the pail till needed!

However if I could get Parks at a good price I would buy in large bulk and drive and pick up so I could resale at a reasonable price, I don't want to make a fortune just recoup my costs. It just hard to believe that with as many custom knife makers as there are out there we can't band together to get better pricing, than I am seeing available!!!!

They seem to know they you have right by the Gonads and there ain't no one trying to break the grip!:eek::mad:
 
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Hey Dixieblade, I read a post the other day made by a guy in valdasta ga.
In it he mentioned talking to someone at a place in Pensacola. I don't remember the
Post name on the posters name, but when I can get to a regular computer
And look for it, I'll post it if I can find it. It's not fun doing this on
A phone.
Rob
 
Thank Rob keep me informed I am all ears.

Let me throw this out there! Like stated before I am not trying to start quench wars again.

Does anyone have all the specs on Parks50 quench oil?

It is time to take business to someone that wants it if I can find a comparative quench oil in specs.

I know from research there are now about 12 -15 companies that are offering quench oil. Now I need to start comparative shopping.

I can't afford to have some shipped from Union Gap Wa. to NW Florida. Talk about your long haul!
 
Kevin Cashen was recently testing an alternative to the Parks, but so far Parks #50 is still the fastest. For 1095, you want nothing less. Even the Parks #50 won't match brine for speed, but it is the best you can do for oil. If you are selling, your customer deserves the best. If just for personal use, you might settle for less and use canola.
 
Dixieblade57 said:
Does anyone have all the specs on Parks50 quench oil?

It is time to take business to someone that wants it if I can find a comparative quench oil in specs.

I know from research there are now about 12 -15 companies that are offering quench oil. Now I need to start comparative shopping.

I can't afford to have some shipped from Union Gap Wa. to NW Florida. Talk about your long haul!
Click to expand...

You won't get someone to make you 10 gallons of a custom spec item any less than you can buy a commercially sold item.

& be happy you can buy it within the US,
Can you imagine what we pay in shipping and crossing the border?

Just figure out best pricing and shipping and order the Parks 50


getting drums of canola, seems silly when it's way too much of something that's not really what you need.
 
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