Is used motor oil good for quenching?

Motor oils are a common type of quenching oil used in both blacksmithing and bladesmithing applications. New and used motor oils can be used for quenching and are both widely available. New motor oil is typically cheaper to use than commercial quenching oils.

Can you harden steel with used motor oil?

Hardening steel with motor oil is a way of performing what is called the case hardening of steel. Pure steel is actually too soft for many applications. In order to put a hard layer on the steel, carbon must be fused at the molecular level into the top centimeter or so of the steel.

What kind of oil is used for quenching?

Mineral oil quenchants are excellent for oil-hardened steels and steels that require a fast quench rate. They tend to be on the expensive side, but they're highly efficient and have greater cooling capacities for steel alloys.

Can you reuse oil for quenching?

Recycling quench oil can reduce quench oil consumption by as much as 75 percent. This is accomplished by careful recovery of quench oil from washers and other sources. Usually, the post-quench washer is used to recover the quench oil for reuse.

How long is quenching oil good for?

Quenching and martempering oils deteriorate during use, although most premium quenching oils can last more than 10 years when given reasonable use and care.

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How hot should quenching oil be?

Quenching into oil above 212°F (100°C) has traditionally been referred to as "hot oil" quenching. Oil temperatures in the 195°F - 450°F (90°C - 230°C) range have been used with both ends of the spectrum normally reserved for special applications.

What oil Can you use to harden steel?

Mineral Oil

Oil is a third traditional quenching agent, suitable for high-speed steels and oil-hardened steels, and in fact for any steel for which the required degree of hardness is achievable. Oil has a slower rate of cooling compared to either water or brine, but faster than air, making it an intermediate quench.

What did medieval blacksmiths quench their blades in?

The smith then heats the metal so that both the iron and steel are molten and join. The blade is tempered—transformed from soft, workable metal into a hard blade—by holding the blade over a fire and then quenching the blade in a vat of oil or brine.

What do blacksmiths quench their blades in?

Blacksmiths generally use water, oil, or compressed air to quench. These substances vary in environmental impact, cost, and effects on the metal, but the best quenching medium is usually water or quenching oil.

Can you use old motor oil to quench steel?

Motor oils are a common type of quenching oil used in both blacksmithing and bladesmithing applications. New and used motor oils can be used for quenching and are both widely available. New motor oil is typically cheaper to use than commercial quenching oils.

Can I use canola oil for quenching?

Canola, Motor Oil, and the Inconel Probe Test

I found a study on 1045 steel where they found canola to quench more rapidly than motor oil so I am going to stick with canola as my “cheap” quenching option to test.

Is water quenching better than oil?

Water-quenched steels will generally be harder than oil-quenched steels. This is mainly because the thermal conductivity of water is higher than the thermal conductivity of most oils (that I know); consequently, the rates of cooling will be less rapid (or lower) in oils compared with water.

Can you forge rebar?

Cons of Forging with Rebar

A first major con of using rebar for blacksmithing is its unpredictable nature. Most rebar is not made of quality metals and can even contain dangerous fumes when worked. What is this? You can never be sure what the rebar is made of, so final projects can end up brittle.

What does putting hot metal in oil do?

What Is Oil Quenching? The oil quenching process is used in the heat treatment of metals. During this process, a piece of metal is rapidly cooled to change its individual properties. Examples of common properties include toughness, strength, durability, and hardness.

Why do forgers quench in oil?

Hot oils are kept at much higher temperatures and are used to ensure that a part's core temperature and surface temperature do not vary too greatly during a quench. This controls distortion and reduces the risk of cracking.

Why are there no titanium swords?

Titanium is not a good material for swords or any blades. Steel is far better. Titanium cannot be heat treated sufficiently to gain a good edge and will not retain edge.

Are bronze swords sharp?

Bronze Swords

Granted, various civilizations has made sharp-bladed weapons from materials such as flint and rock prior to bronze, but the Bronze Age era set a new standard for weaponry. Swordsmiths of this era made bronze swords by mixing copper with various alloys, the most predominant alloy being tin.

Does a heated sword cut better?

Heating a blade is kind-of at odds with itself. Heat transfer is an inherently slow process. You may not think burning yourself on a stove is slow, but compared to a cut, heat transfer is actually quite slow.

How do you harden steel at home?

Set your steel directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. Let your oven heat the piece of steel. During the tempering process, the steel heats up enough to soften the alloys inside to make it less brittle. If you need to use a blow torch, focus the flame tip on the area you want hardened.

What is a fast quench oil?

Fast Quench Oils

Q1075 – A premium light colored oil. New generation additives are used that yield long life, clean parts, and desirable cooling rates. Its low viscosity yields uniform part hardness and results in minimal drag-out.

Can you use vegetable oil to quench a knife?

I do know that every hardening I've done has used simple vegetable oil for the hardening quench. I don't know what you'd use that'd be slower than oil but fast enough to still harden the steel. As with anything you find on the internet, take everything with a grain of salt (and maybe a handful of flux).

Can you quench 80CrV2 in canola oil?

Heat treating 80CrV2: heat to 830 C (1525 F) hold for 10 mins for "knife blade thickness" Quench in a fast quench oil (not Canola)

What temperature do you quench steel?

The steel is tempered to reduce some of the hardness and increase ductility. It's heated for a set period of time at a temperature that falls between 400° F and 1,105° F. Sometimes, if further ductility is needed, a higher temperature is used- around 1,300° F.