Motor oil or canola?

[me2]

Don't laugh too hard but I've been under impression that it does for many many years. Why use oil if it doesn't add carbon to the item being quenched?
Sorry for the stupid question.

This is an often repeated myth. Quenching in oil does not add carbon. I have heard this repeated so many times it made it on to Mythbusters.

The reason to quench in oil is to reduce the chance of cracking and warping, as compared with quenching in water. Some steels can be quenched in air, but the 1084 asked about in this thread isn't one of them.

 

[stevomiller]

i have had sparks (from carbon buildup on the torch head) come off but only 3-4 individual sparks. the blade was not hurt. its when you actually see sparks coming off the steel is when you have the blade too hot.

Sorry, your original post wasn't clear that the sparks were from the torch and not the blade. Regardless, if the blade is heated to "bright orange" as stated, you are overheating by 250-350°f.
Best
Steve

 

[LRB]

That's an odd statement. My 01 blades are more orange than red at 1475°. Drop that temp by just 50°, and it isn't going to harden as it should.

 

[stevomiller]

1450-1500*f is about right for 1084, which is in the red range of incandescence when viewed in the dark. Bright orange is approximately in the 1700* plus range. However colors aren't seen the same by all folks,and different incidental light in the shop will change this as well.

 

[silver_pilate]

I know what you mean, LRB; I've always see orange at the 1475F range instead of the red described in incandescence charts. As Steve says, we all see things differently.

--nathan

 

[LRB]

I will say that I see bright yellow orange at 1775° when doing A-2. Which to me just just illustrates the folly of judging heat by color. 300° between 1475° and 1775° makes a noticible color change, maybe more in brightness than a radical change in color, but is still in the orange color range.

 

[Rick Marchand]

I say mix the two together to get "Motorola". Just don't try to trademark the name:thumbup:... lol..... but seriously, don't.

My opinion is that between the two, canola performs better, won't cause an eco-disaster if you spill it, is healthier to work with and just prettier to look at. At a couple bucks a jug, it is really cheap. If you can't afford $10 to get a decent quench set up, you may want consider another hobby, brother. Just messin... but not really.

 

[e.codega]

Alright. you guys sold me on the canola oil. And Rick, you kinda made my day! so keep the edge the thickness of a dime, normalize a bit, heat to roughly 1500, and plunge blade straight into canola. Then temper @400 in one hour cycles twice, using my moms toaster oven of course . Anything wrong here? Again, thanks for being so kind to a new guy like me.

 

[Kentucky]

I start seeing orange at around 1475*-1500* myself, heck my cousin dosnt see orange at all..Hes color blind