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My old boss in Tulsa said to never quench a hammer head in water, only oil. I finally tried it on a 2lb cross peen last week.
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grant_ross272mo ago
What's the reason for oil over water?
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craig.avery1mo ago
My 1964 Ford manual actually says water, not oil, for quench hardening @grant_ross27.
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the_hayden2mo ago
Yeah, your old boss was totally right. Water cools the steel way too fast and makes it brittle, so it can crack or even shatter. Oil cools it slower and keeps it tough. Learned that the hard way myself, just like @grant_ross27 is asking about. Ruined a perfectly good ball-peen by dunking it in water and it split right at the eye. Switched to old motor oil and haven't had a problem since. The difference is night and day.
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