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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 08-09-2005, 01:28 AM
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nozh_scrap nozh_scrap is offline
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Quench Tank idea

I had some ideas about a heat source for quenching oils....and I came up with this idea.... (probably completely unoriginal)


ELECTRIC SKILLET!


Wouldn't this be good? You could probably easily find one at a yard sale or flea market for a couple a bucks...

It has a temperature control and everything. Also a lid for flame ups....

Is this an ok idea? or am I full of crap?
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  #2  
Old 08-09-2005, 08:47 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Seems like it would work OK. The biggest problem I see with it is that you can't heat much oil with it (but maybe you don't need much). Most of my quenching is done tip first, if I want an edge quench I clay coat and then quench tip first. This tank was made from a section of 4" steel pipe, it has a thermometer (but no thermostat although one could be added) and the oil is heated by a hot water heater element in the bottom of the tank:



It has the advantage of not having much surface area for the oil so if there is a fire or even smoke, it's limited and easily controlled.....


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Old 08-09-2005, 10:20 AM
Gary Biggers Gary Biggers is offline
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I've been using a large roaster for a couple of years. It holds about 2-3 gallons of oil. I'm using mineral oil that I have added about 10% beeswax to. When the solution is at room temperature it is solid (but soft) so it is easy to move around and store. When I heat it up the wax melts about at about 140 deg. The temperature control is great and the lid makes it easy to put out flames. I have put a raised metal plate in it that covers about half of the bottom to control the depth of the edge quench. I leave the plate in it and let it harden in the wax when cooled. Nothing to store, no cleanup of the plate. I'm real happy with this arrangement.

Gary Biggers
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Old 08-09-2005, 11:02 AM
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B.Finnigan B.Finnigan is offline
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I think the electric skillet is a brilliant idea. Since you really do not need more then 1/2" depth on most blades it should be more then adequate. I always like the most simple ideas although building one is a great project and there is alot of room for ingenuity and creativity.
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Old 08-09-2005, 11:55 AM
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If you can get 2 - 3 gallons in it that's a lot more than I was figuring it would hold. If you have enough length for the blades you make then it sounds like a great approach to the problem, especially with the beeswax. The wax turns it into a variant of Goddard's Goop which is brilliant in that application.....


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Old 08-09-2005, 02:06 PM
Gary Biggers Gary Biggers is offline
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I originally started out with Goddard's goo made with other oils and more beeswax. I never did add Wayne's bacon grease. After seeing Ed Caffrey's posts on mineral oil, I decided to go with the safer mineral oil. I cut down the amount of wax because I found Wayne's original recipe too hard for my needs and it didn't want to melt at a low enough temperature. What I do with the cooker is turn it on to about 400 deg about an hour before I need it. I let it heat for 15 minutes then turn it off. During the next 45 minutes the hotter oil on the edges melts the rest of the wax and leaves me with about the right temperature mixture. If I end up waiting longer, I will turn the cooker on low.

I am now considering making another setup for water/brine quench. The water won't harden when it is cool, so I will have to keep it in a jug. I like the idea of being able to keep the water at 170 deg without having to put it on a stove and try to regulate temperatures. Water quench is new to me so I need to think about this for awhile to get it straight in my mind before I actually do it.

The cooker is large enough that I can easily quench a 14" blade in it. I don't do that big of a knife often, but I can if I want. The amount of oil in the cooker allows me to do several blades and/or multiple quenches without getting too hot, although I have managed to do that too.

Gary Biggers
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Old 08-09-2005, 08:14 PM
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I have a tub of Goddard's Goop also. I made it pretty close to his specs including the use of real lard, parafin, and some automatic transmission fluid, if memory serves. Don't use it often but so far, none of the critters around here have tried to eat it so I guess it will be there when I need it....


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