Removing brurnt canola residue after quench

[peppen108]

When doing a partial quench on spring steel some of the canola oil creates a black paint like layer. As I'm trying to master the forge finish I want to have the steel clean. Are there any ways to removing brurnt canola residue after quench other than rubbing with steel wool and soap water?

 

[john april]

soak in vinegar overnight.

 

[razormaker]

I use a wire wheel on a grinder. If you want some of the color back you can dip it in ferric chloride.

 

[stezann]

Yes, a "clean" forged finish is achieved with the wire wheel.

 

[peppen108]

Ok. I have left it in vinegar for 24 hours to remove the scales but the faty canola muck is not giving in. I do have access to a vintage industrial wire brush from the 60s that makes modern machines look, sound and feel as if the have been built by children in the darkness with scrap metal.

Are there any other chemical solution's. I tried spray on oven cleaner but that did nothing.

 

[S.Alexander]

Sandpaper will do the trick

 

[Don Hanson III]

WD-40 and a wire brush. Or a full quench.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Other things that get it are heavy duty de-greaser and Var-sol parts cleaner.

To deliberately put a black finish on a "Brut de Forge" blade or decorative make up a can of "Blacksmith's Black Polish". The ratio is a pound of beeswax dissolves in a pint of turpentine. Make enough to have plenty to do the job ( see below).Warm the turpentine carefully and when the mix is liquid stir well. It will become semi-solid at room temperature. Heat and use the mix outside only.

To use it, heat a non-hardened blacksmith item item to about 800F ( just at or below black heat) and paint the wax mix on the hot blade quickly with a brush or rag. Keep applying until it stops bubbling/sizzling. Be aware that it may instantly catch fire. When it stops bubbling/sizzling, allow to cool and buff with an old towel. Non-hardening objects can be quick cooled in water and buffed dry. Have a lid for the can and an empty can with a cover to stick the brush in case either catch fire ( happens often). Heat a little hotter and try again if it does not immediately flash or smoke off with a bubbling action.

To use on a knife blade you have to do it as part of the quench. Have the mix in a small container deep enough to stick the blade in as if quenching. Quench the blade in the regular quench oil, count to three, and immediately quench in the wax mix. Pull out at once and let flash off for a few seconds, plunge in again, out, etc. until it stops sizzling. Then you can put it in water to finish cooling down or just let cool in the air. I usually let it cool in the air while rubbing with an old towel.

This not only makes a great black finish that fills all the hammer marks on the rough forged areas, it seals the blade pores and coats the blade with a sealer wax coating that really hold back rust.

 

[peppen108]

I did the vigegar for 3 days but that only softened the crust. The wire brush did the trick. A fine bosch brush. A funny thing was that the wire brush left less scratches on te material than the red plastic brush from bosch. Another good lesson is that a bitt of used steel wool puts some of the patina back in the pits after the deep clean.

 

[peppen108]

A funny thing is that the parts that has been cleaned with vinegar and the wire burshed does not take a new patina with vineger. I stays "silver". This is a modern springsteel so it might have some alloys that affects the situation.