Phillip Patton
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2005
- Messages
- 5,380
Well, probably most of you know by now that I'm not into the differential quenching thing. I prefer my knives to be hard all the way through.
However, some of the steels I use (W2, 10XX series), because of their shallow hardening properties, have a hard time with that.
I don't like using water (think, PING!) so I've tried to find an oil fast enough to harden a 1/4" thick blade all the way through.
Parks #50 does pretty good. I can test with a file all over the blade and it won't bite, but I have this sneaking suspicion that there's still some pearlite forming deep inside.
Thus, in my search for a faster non-water quench, I think I've found the solution. Gasoline! I figure, as low of a viscocity as that stuff has, the thermal extraction rate has to be pretty good. Also, at $2.60 a gallon (currently) it's cheap enough to compete with any quenching oil I know of.
So I filled up a 5 gallon plastic bucket with gasoline, and gave it a try with a blade of W2, austenitized at 1475 F.
Apparently, gasoline has a pretty low vapor pressure and flash point. In spite of that, I think it turned out well, although it was pretty exciting. I'm glad I was wearing my face shield and gloves.
I got my dad to take a picture of the quenching process:
You cant see me because Im standing on the other side of the fireball.
I wish Id had a metal bucket on hand. Plastic just doesnt work well for this sort of application .
Im fortunate that there's a fire department just half a mile away.
Ill bet the hamon looks like flames
Just kidding! Happy April 1st!
Disclaimer:
Just in case theres someone of low intelligence reading this, this is only a joke! Dont EVER try this, or otherwise play with fire and gasoline at the same time. And dont use plastic for quenching oil tanks!
However, some of the steels I use (W2, 10XX series), because of their shallow hardening properties, have a hard time with that.
I don't like using water (think, PING!) so I've tried to find an oil fast enough to harden a 1/4" thick blade all the way through.
Parks #50 does pretty good. I can test with a file all over the blade and it won't bite, but I have this sneaking suspicion that there's still some pearlite forming deep inside.
Thus, in my search for a faster non-water quench, I think I've found the solution. Gasoline! I figure, as low of a viscocity as that stuff has, the thermal extraction rate has to be pretty good. Also, at $2.60 a gallon (currently) it's cheap enough to compete with any quenching oil I know of.
So I filled up a 5 gallon plastic bucket with gasoline, and gave it a try with a blade of W2, austenitized at 1475 F.
Apparently, gasoline has a pretty low vapor pressure and flash point. In spite of that, I think it turned out well, although it was pretty exciting. I'm glad I was wearing my face shield and gloves.
I got my dad to take a picture of the quenching process:
You cant see me because Im standing on the other side of the fireball.
I wish Id had a metal bucket on hand. Plastic just doesnt work well for this sort of application .
Im fortunate that there's a fire department just half a mile away.
Ill bet the hamon looks like flames
Just kidding! Happy April 1st!
Disclaimer:
Just in case theres someone of low intelligence reading this, this is only a joke! Dont EVER try this, or otherwise play with fire and gasoline at the same time. And dont use plastic for quenching oil tanks!
