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Bandit wrote:
HI guys,
I have been lurking around here for awhile reading interesting posts
and gaining knowledge.

My question is, what is the "proper" type of oil for heat treating

and
hardening small punches and buttons and so on. I have had a machinest
at work tell me "you want to use a high sulfur based oil".(- All I
know is when I used a high sulfur based oil to harden with it STUNK
like you know what!?) So, I guess what I'm asking is, what type of

oil
is the correct oil? Can motor oil be used? Thanks, Tracy


What you use for quenching depends on what you're trying to do as far
as hardening. For example, some of the knifemakers use a semi-solid
quench for differential hardening of their blades, the back stays soft
and the edge is hard. One guy uses tallow and beeswax mixed with
hydraulic fluid. It just depends on how hard you want your stuff and
how fast you want it cooled down as to what oil you need to use.

When I was a starving student and didn't have a lot of options, I used
used motor oil for quenching taps and dies. They worked fine for the
limited jobs I needed them for. You want a high flash point and low
smoke for continual useage, otherwise move your operation outside for
one-offs. Quenching oil is sold by the usual industrial supply
outfits, gunsmith suppliers like Brownell's and knifemaker's suppliers.

Stan