Cattonkj

On 2/18/2016 at 12:25 PM, Black Frog said:

Back in the days of forging the anvils, those holes were known as "port" or "porter" holes.  The porter bars were used to manipulate the anvil during forging, tempering, and grinding, the porter bars had the square ends that fit snugly into the holes.  ThomasPowers is incorrect, some cast anvils most definitely had port holes!  

If 'porter' holes were used to hold & manipulate the anvil while being forged, what purpose would 'porter' holes in cast anvils?

3 minutes ago, Frazer said:

It's good practice to preheat your oil prior to quenching since warm oil quenches the steel faster than cool oil/room temperature oil.

Frazer What temperature would you sugest heating the oil to?

1 hour ago, Frazer said:

I'm guessing A.) your canola oil is too slow of a quench as it stands and/or B.) you aren't bringing it up to austenitic temperature.. Did it harden at all?

Are you preheating the oil prior to quenching or is it starting at room temperature?

Also, what did you make that you are you trying to harden?

1 hour ago, BIGGUNDOCTOR said:

Try water, or brine  instead.  4140 is a tough alloy, not one that gets super hard.

Frazer, to answer your question, no the peice did not harden at all & the oil is starting at room temperature (about 67* F), & I am making a hot cut hardie.

& BIGGUNDOCTOR, I did try water, again at room temperature. same results: not hard.

I am relatively new to blacksmithing but have gotten far enough to know when something is not getting hard. I use Canola oil as my quenching medium & have succesfully hardend two chisles, & two punches from old coilspring. But I have recently purchased some 4140 & have made some more tools out of it but it seems unable to harden. If anyone has any suggestions I will accept them gratefully.