Old timer told me to quench in used motor oil instead of water...

So back in 2018, I was trying to harden a batch of 1084 blades and kept getting cracks in water. This guy named Pete at the Saturday market swap told me to just use some old 10W-30 from his truck. I figured what the heck, tried it on a 6 inch chef knife... and it worked perfectly. No cracks at all, and the edge came out way harder than my usual water quench. But then I spent like 3 hours cleaning that nasty smell and sticky residue off the steel. Has anyone else tried this or am I just being cheap with my quench oils?

3 comments

3 Comments

nancyg141mo agoTop Commenter

Honestly, you mentioning that Pete from the swap meet told you to try it reminds me of something bigger. It's like how the most useful tips in life come from random old guys, not from experts or YouTube tutorials. Ngl, I've seen this pattern everywhere - from fixing a lawnmower with a coat hanger to getting a better sear on a steak by using a cast iron pan someone's grandma had. People learn these tricks through trial and error, not from books. So yeah, it works, but the cleanup is the hidden cost you don't see on the internet. That's just how it goes with old school fixes - they're practical but always messy.

roberts.leo1mo ago

Kyle tried that trick with his mower last summer. Ended up with oil all over his driveway and a busted knuckle.

annajenkins1mo ago

You're SO right about that hidden cleanup cost. It's like the one thing nobody ever warns you about with these old school methods. My dad used to fix everything with duct tape and baling wire and yeah it worked but the MESS it left behind was unreal. There's always some greasy residue or a pile of metal shavings or something you didn't plan for. And forget trying to find a tutorial that mentions the cleanup part because they always cut away before the real work starts. That's the part that makes me feel like we're all in on the same secret though. Like we know the REAL deal while everyone else just sees the finished product.