Quenching oil, Texaco Type A available

Ed Fowler

Ed Fowler

Joined
Jul 21, 2001
Messages
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Uncle Al is selling Texaco Type A quenching fluid in smaller quatities that the 55 gallon drum. You can reach him through his website, he advertises on the ABS Web Site. Most failures in toughness result from the use of some other oil when hardening 52100 or 5160.
 
This may be a dumb question, but I'm new to this forging sport... Will type A work for most carbon steels or is it specifically made for 52100 and 5160? The reason that I ask is, I have some O-1 laying around that I'm fooling around with. Actually it's the first steel that I have tried playing with in my new forge. Quite an adventure so far! This forging of knives is a lot more work than I originally thought.

Rick
 
Texaco Type A is a slow quench oil and should work very well on 0-1 steel. I have used it with L-6, 440C, 0-1 and many unknown steels. When using multiple quench and single quench methods it promotes tougher blades than many other quench oils and you can utilize lower tempering temperatures. With lower carbon stuff like wire and layered Damascus I regularly use Brownell's Tough Quench, it is a fast quench oil and you can get more cut out of these steels and still have a tough blade.
 
I've used the Quenchtec by Texaco for a number of years and right now I'm not sure if it was A or B but I was getting alot of warping with it the past year. Talked with Wayne Goddard and he suggested going with something slower. Kind of suggesting that I go to his goop quench. I went a bought a can of the store brand crisco and my blades are comming out straight all the time. I'll have to see if I can find out for sure which Quenchtec I have.

By the way, Wayne had given me a box of ramhorn last year, not sure but think they had some kind of Montana connection.... Ray
 
Thanks for the info Ed, got a couple of gallons on order. It's not Texico Type A though, it's the Chevron equivalent.

Just wondering, how long does the quench last? Does it ever wear out?

Cant' wait for it to get here to try a few experiments.
 
Will,

I am using the chevron equivelent also. I have been using the same oil for five years and only add to it as the level in my quench tank gets low. I have noticed no ill effects and my blades perform better now than they ever have.:)

Bill
 
The type of oil we use has a direct relationship on the nature of the hardened portion of the blade. That is an obvious statement, but many times not well understood.

The only way to develop our heat treating is by reference testing. Every blade must at least be tested for cut and compared to a reference blade. Edge flex is not destructive to more than the citting edge that can be reground after the test. Thest two tests only evaluate cut and edge toughness.

The fully developed high performance blade must have more thorough testing to support it. I feel that overall blade strength and toughness are very significant attributes. These can only be evaluated through full flex tests. At first a single 90 degree bend was felt to be adequate. Now we have achieved up to 11 180 degree flexes with blades that had enough strength that they would not take a set due to hand strength with out the aid of an extension on the blade. The last blade did over 1,000 cuts on the hemp rope.

The tip of the blade on the test knife would easily engrave mild steel by tapping on the tang with a light hammer, without tip distortion.

If you are able to achieve this level of performance using other quenching mediums, you have done well. The main event is the testing you use to evaluate performance, the bladesmith who does not test thoroughly leaves the knife open to suprises. Most significantly he puts his clients at risk should they get into a wreck and need the blade to perform at higher levels than required by the average knife. If you are selling art knives the testing is irrelevant, if you claim high performance thorough testing is the foundation.
 
Thanks Bill, should last me a while then, and glad to hear someone else is useing the Chevron oil, was a little woried when I found out it wasn't Texico.:rolleyes:

I've got one blade that is finishing anealing right now, will heat treat it with my old oil for a comparison. It was forged with a couple of idea's I got from Ed, be an interesting check blade to compare future blades against.
 
OK, So I have spent the last two days searching the whole Salt Lake City (and surrounding) area for Texaco A and Chevron quenching oil 70... Nobody has it! They can order a 55 gallon drum which should last me a millenium. I called Uncle Al because of a post by Ed Fowler, he has the Chevron oil but is having problems shipping it. The only thing that I can find locally is produced by Houghton Int'l. They have three varieties... Vegetable oil based, water based and petroleum based. From what I have been reading, I feel like I will have to re-invent the wheel by using something other than Texaco or Chevron. I'm all in to experimenting to find what works best, but I really want to eliminate as many variables as possible. Has anyone used the Houghton quenching oils? Do you think that it is close enough and I shouldn't worry about it?

Rick
 
Rick, Im also haveing a bit of trouble getting the good Texaco A, from Uncle Al.

let me know if you get a connection and can get that type.

I could use some..
 
DaQo'tah, I called Uncle Al today. He has been using used buckets to ship the oil in and he has had a couple of the buckets break while in transit. Sounds kinda messy! Anyway, he told me that he is getting some new 1 gallon cans to ship the oil in and to call him back after the first of the year. I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything else.

Rick
 
Hi Rick, this is the DaQo'tah

thanks so much for all the info. I have to get some of that Texaco type A oil as soon as I can!

Im in the middle of just my 2nd and 3rd and now 4th Blade made out of 52100 steel and I want to do this right!

I want to learn how to make a working man's knife that will NEVER let me down in the field. I truly do understand that the Right oil quench is very important to reaching my goals.

Im glad I have learned about Uncle Al selling the stuff,and now working on the problem with shipping it and that soon I have the right oil in my Quenching tub.

if you hear any news from uncle Al,,,I would love to see a posting on the forums!
 
Uncle Al has the Chevron brand, but I'm wondering if it isn't the same as Texaco, since Chevron bought Texaco.
 
Rick: I only have about 30 gallons left of my origonal 55 gallon barrel of Texaco Type A that I Bought about 20 years ago. If you have to and can buy a full barrel I would split it with you.
 
Ed, If I find Texaco type A, I will be happy to share it with you and anyone else that is interested.

Rick
 
hi this is DaQo'tah

I had my doubts at first, but I just got a email-

"It cost $12/gal. plus shipping. I ship in one gal. containers.
Thanks,
Al www.riversidemachine.net "




thank Gaud!, and the Members of this Forum...Im off to find my credit card...LOL
 
another one

Edited to include:

Did a little research on this and talked to an oil distrubutor guy. He is looking into some other brand name for me but recommended another product.

Wow he just called and confirmed that the Quenchtex MM is the same as detergent free 100wt oil. That stuff may be a little bit too slow, but it has my interest peaked, because I can't find type A, B, or C anywhere in my area (imagine that:) )

Anyway, just thought I would pass this on. Maybe you could mix some lighter weight oil with it to speed up the quench and use it for 1095. Or do I want a slow quench for 1095? I don't know, but I am going to find out.;)
 
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