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Been quenching my blades in water for years... just found out why they kept cracking
I was finishing a skinning knife for a friend last Tuesday and heard a sharp ping from the bucket. The blade had a hairline crack right down the center. My grandad, who taught me, always said 'water works fine.' But after losing this piece, I looked it up and saw everyone saying to use oil for high carbon steel. I'd been using the wrong quench for maybe five years. What's your go-to quenching oil, and how did you figure out the right one for your work?
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henderson.kim2mo ago
Oh man, that's the worst sound. I burned through three good blades before a guy at the flea market told me to try canola oil.
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wren_rodriguez6d ago
Yeah, about that - canola oil works but you actually want to go with vegetable oil instead. Canola has a lower smoke point so it'll burn off faster if your blade gets hot, and that's when you start getting that nasty sticky residue. Vegetable oil handles heat way better for this stuff. I learned that the hard way after thinking I was being smart with canola and ruined a nice blade mid-cut. Plus vegetable oil is usually cheaper anyway, so it's a win-win. Just a couple drops on the blade every few cuts and you're golden.
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