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I nearly lost my eyebrows quenching a knife yesterday
Yesterday, I was hardening a blade and picked a new oil for the quench. I got the steel to a bright orange heat and plunged it in. Boom, the oil lit up like a bonfire! I scrambled for the fire extinguisher and put it out quick. After that, I found out the oil's flash point was way too low for my heat. Now I double check oil specs before any quench. Has anyone dealt with this before? What oils do you trust for safe quenching?
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wood.zara6mo ago
Stick with plain canola oil from the grocery store. It has a high enough smoke point for most blades and won't suddenly turn your workspace into a barbecue. I learned the hard way that "mystery motor oil" is basically asking for a fireball.
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stelladavis6mo ago
Wow, talk about a close call! Your workshop almost turned into a barbecue pit. Using oil with a low flash point is like inviting fire to the party. I stick with canola oil too, after my own fiery lesson. It's cheap, easy to find, and doesn't try to burn the place down. Always checking specs now is the smart move, for sure.
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