Sorry to tell you Justin, not that I know of. Quench oils are formulated for one thing, quenching, different metals at different speeds. When the automotive industry needs to have parts quenched, guess what they use? You would be better off just biting the bullet and getting an engineered quench oil for whatever steel you are using.

Brion

All right just thought I would ask I was unsure of just what the 50 was and me being a gear head I was thinking of 50w trans oil.. 🙄

Parks #50 is not even like other quench oils, I have been involved in projects to try to chemically match its properties, and simply could not get the same results on shallow hardening steels. Now, that being said, there are some very close alternatives among quench oils, Houghton type K and Durotherm are just a couple. If you need to get something done in a pinch canola oil heated to 130°F is about the fastest supermarket oil, and poses no health risks like automotive products, just be aware that it is still like using a knife tip for a screwdriver, it can get the job done but it ain't pretty. You will not have the same low end cooling curve, meaning higher stresses in the actual hardening, or the same stability over time so that you 5th blade won't quench quite the same as your first.

I can't tell you how good it feels to see these quench questions asked and have a quench oil recommended as the best choice. Knifemaking has come so far in the last few years that I am still catching up with what I thought was impossible. The irony is that I have been so conditioned by the once inevitable fire storm when pointing out the best tool for the job that I am now that guy who feels he has to mention an alternative like canola. One day some young maker is going to let me have it for mentioning canola instead of a real quench oil, and I will have to buy that guy a drink, if I don't just hug him. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

Justin it probably refers to a formula number. Like heatbath-parks formula 50. I started using it years ago on the recommendation of some guy named Kevin. I love it. And I agree Kevin we have come a long way. It is good!

Brion

Thank you both for the info I will just have to get the parks50. Seems like the wise thing to do

Justin, it works very well for certain steels, others no. With parks 50 use 1080, 1084, 1095, W1, W2, !075. If you plan on using 5160, 52100, 80crv2, you will have to use a slower quench oil. With that being said call Maxim Oil in Texas and ask for Carla, she will help you out. They sell the 50, their own similar oil, duratherm G I believe, and slower oils.

Brion

|quoted:

The irony is that I have been so conditioned by the once inevitable fire storm when pointing out the best tool for the job that I am now that guy who feels he has to mention an alternative like canola. One day some young maker is going to let me have it for mentioning canola instead of a real quench oil, and I will have to buy that guy a drink, if I don't just hug him. <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' />

That's funny! But true.

Got the parks and I am very happy with the results. Interesting how it colors the steel out of the quench.

|quoted:

Got the parks and I am very happy with the results. Interesting how it colors the steel out of the quench.

Whoah, red flag just went up. What colors are you seeing? Parks #50 should leave the steel a light gray with no discoloration at all.

Splotches of slight blue

Splotches of light blue 😬.. yes there is defanitly a problem I noticed it this morning when I went to hand sand the knife to 220 grit I think I may have had an issue with decarb possibly? I really don’t know went ahead and finished the knife to the best of my abilities and will destruction test tomorrow to see what the grain of the steel looks like. I don’t think I overheated it mabe my little propane forge just took to long to get the knife to non magnetic? 🤣 I’ll post a picture. This was my first attempt at a Bowie I’m not too soft skinned any critiques would be much appreciated thank y’all

Grains?

That splotchy stuff is terrible ohh well learning experience. Had to file many two thousands off of edge and it would skate

Autocorrect is terrible about two thousands mabe a little more. I feel I could have got it off with the grinder if I was a little better but the knife was allready about as thick as a credit card at the edge hahaha and mabe that’s just wishfull ignorant thinking on my end,either way I have to learn from this because I really enjoyed making this knife up to the part were things got really really ugly looking. 🙃