Canola Oil for Quenching

[River City John]

I've read that canola oil is good for quenching as long as you get the heated work under the surface quickly.

Pros and cons?

I have two revolver hammer faces I want to harden and do not wish to pay the big bucks for true quenching oil.


RCJ

[Kent Shootwell]

Quenching oil is a type of mineral oil, and just plain old 10 weight motor oil will work for your needs. Use a plenty in an open top container close to your heat source.

[wildman1]

Quenching oil is a type of mineral oil, and just plain old 10 weight motor oil will work for your needs. Use a plenty in an open top container close to your heat source.

Right, do not use detergent motor oil.
wM1

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[Quixote Kid]

Professional blacksmith here.  Cooking oils work fine for quenching and their fumes are basically non toxic.  I use it for anything with an edge so that there are no poisonous residues.  Whenever quenching in oil use a long set of tongs, the oil will often flame up before your piece is completely submerged.  If you keep it around too long it spoils.

I figure its been a few months and you are probably long done, but just in case....

Quixote Kid

[River City John]

Thank you all for your answers.
Yes Quixote Kid, it's truly a "There and Back Again" tale.


RCJ

[Professor Marvel]

My Dear John -

what Quixote said

when I was young and stupid I used what every hobby blacksmith used: used crankcase oil.

it stank,
it smoked & flared,
you needed to keep a steel lid handy to put it out.

those with sense and dollars used the cheapest high-temp vegetable oil they could get.
even used french fry oil is good !
veggy oils are non-toxic, smell LOTS better, and work real well.
the point of oil vs water quenching is the viscosity, or thickness - it boils away from the metal more slowly and does not cool the piece as abruptly.

one still needs to keep a lid handy. and a modern fire extinguisher.

Oh, and do it outdoors or in a garage or shed with the big door open.
NOT the basement, don't ask.

for little bitty hammer faces a liter or so of cheap canola or peanut oil should be plenty.
save it in a marked bottle for later projects.

yhs
prof marvel

[River City John]

It turns out a friend whose kindness surpasses my ability to repay hardened my hammer face for me.


RCJ

[Professor Marvel]

It turns out a friend whose kindness surpasses my ability to repay hardened my hammer face for me.


RCJ

And that's even better!

yhs
prof marvel

ps whatever happened to the old standby, CASENITE ?

[River City John]

Casenite, I believe, is out of production?

The person who hardened my hammer had a carefully hoarded supply of it and that was what he used. I think closest product now is Cherry Red?

RCJ

[Gabriel Law]

I use a commercial case hardening compound called "Hard n Tuff", but it came from a lumber mill in McKenzie BC in the late 70's and I don't have much left now.  I have never seen or heard of it since acquiring the can.  I do gun screws with it and a file will not cut after the process.  The powder is dark green in colour.

[Gabriel Law]

I use canola cooking oil for hardening the frizzen on flintlocks.  I heat the oil to 135 F and quench in a figure 8.  For that job, the vegetable oil works far better than motor oil.