Using Motor Oil

[DanL]

Like Roosko I use Peanut oil. I have many friends that like to fry turkeys and things in the large turkey fryers. They always are looking to throw out the oil. I provide them a bucket and get the stuff for free.

I let the used oil stand for a few days and all the debris in the oil from cooking settles to the bottom. Then carefully pour off the oil from the top. This will leave reasonably clean oil.

A benefit from peanut oil is the great aroma while quenching. Peanut oil also has a reasonably high flash point but will flash like any oil if you are not careful.

A drawback from peanut oil is that it will somewhat solidify in cold temperatures. I get around this by dropping some hot iron in it before I need to quench and it will liquify fairly quickly.

I have found that Peanut oil is a great all-around quenching oil and you get the blackened color on iron which is nice.

DanL

[Ten Hammers]

As with many things, experimentation is the thing. I have used a lot of motor oil to do finish work. Nasty stuff. I have also used a lot of wax ( cake bees wax ). I must admit that olive oil ( Popeye finish ) is the best smelling I've used to date. I may try some fryer oil in the near future and see how that reacts and what the particulars are with it. Glad this thread got started.

[stevomiller]

I use a mix of linseed oil and beeswax, wiped on with a rag at a high black heat. Again, ventilation is your friend.

[easilyconfused]

For those of you who use linseed oil, I heard that a rag soaked in linseed oil can spontaneosly combust. Is this an old wives tale or has anyone had this happen?

[Tyler Murch]

It WILL absolutely spontaneously combust. Somehow it generates heat as it dries...

[rthibeau]

Linseed oil is the only thing that will spontaneously combust....almost any oil, gasoline, oil based paint, mineral spirits, etc soaked rags have the potential to ignite, usually when you're not looking. Store in a metal container if necessary to keep inside, or hang up with plenty of ventiliation.

[rthibeau]

Linseed oil IS NOT the only........sorry

[julian]

I use motor oil for quenching knives, it works just fine as long as you don't breathe the smoke. The oil will light on fire when you dunk a peice in so wear good thick gloves when you do this. since water sinks below oil, i keep my oil in an old metal incense tube floating in my slack tub so spills aren't a problem.