Scott, I use a stainless steel pan that I bought at a local restaurant supply. The kind you see in buffet lines. Rectangle in shape, and came with a lid. I think I paid about $20. It holds about 4 gallons of Parks 50. I also have an old steel scuba tank that I cut the top out of for vertical quenching. I use Rutland's high temp (black) furnace cement. It's easy to find at hardware stores or fireplace shops. You'll need to thin it with water.

Best of Luck!

Bob

Thanks Robert for the information. I previously used a vertical vessel but it was a large pipe welded on a stand. I am hoping for something like your scuba tank idea but easy to procure.

Scott

Scott I use a bluing tank. It is four feet by six inches by six inches. Holds five gallons of parks. I think you can get them at Brownells. I also have a vertical pipe tank I made for daggers and such. Go with the canola, it will work with both 1084 and 1095. Heat it to 120 and you should be fine. 1095 does require a soak at temp. It is a bit finicky.

And like Bob says, the rutlands will work.

Good luck

Brion

I welded up some steel tanks.

I also ended up buying one of the rectangular stainless buffet type containers with a lid. I have a really lousy welder and was just not able to make the fabricated one water tight... A guy I know took some old oxygen type tanks and cut them down to use for vertical quenching. I'm thinking of trying something similar so I can do vertical stuff easier.

Jeremy

Thank you all for your ideas. What are you using the rectangular containers for. I have only used the vertical ones to quench in.

Scott I probably do 90% of my quenching in the rectangular container. Just easier for me. Plus it is set up for edge quenches if I want to, and works well for things like Japanese style blades.

Brion

Thanks Brion. I have a lot to learn still.

Today I was able to heat treat 7 1084 knives. My quenching vessel was a stainless steel keg that I have the top cut off with handles welded to the side. This was a brew pot I use to use when I was brewing home-brew beer. Took 7 gallons of canola oil to get high enough to vertically quench plus have about 5 to 6 inches to spare on the botttom. I am just finishing up 2 two hour temperings @ 400 F. After the first tempering I looked and did not see any warping so I am pretty pleased with that as a few were ground pretty thin on the knife edge.

I heated my oil to about 124 F and after the 7 knives the oil was sitting right at 140F. I decided to stop there as I was afraid the canola oil was getting to hot.Hopefully these last ones will be OK.

I have another 10 more to do, 2 1084's, 6 1095's and 2 Alabama damascus.

Thank you all for your help.

Scott

|quoted:

Scott I use a bluing tank. It is four feet by six inches by six inches. Holds five gallons of parks. I think you can get them at Brownells. I also have a vertical pipe tank I made for daggers and such. Go with the canola, it will work with both 1084 and 1095. Heat it to 120 and you should be fine. 1095 does require a soak at temp. It is a bit finicky.

And like Bob says, the rutlands will work.

Good luck

Brion

Brion curious how long 5 gallons of canola will last , how many knives before you change it up with fresh oil ?

|quoted:

I welded up some steel tanks.

Karl , do I see a 110V heat element installed in yours ?

Care to elaborate ? Type ? Resource ? Cost ?

Thank you sir

Rob

<img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> Maybe I'm just lazy but I continue to use the same 5 gallon steel bucket that my Park's 50 came in. I like the ability to easily move the blade within it so as to minimize any vapor barrier. In any case, it's important to have the ability to be able to move the blade within the container whatever the configuration and to have enough quenching oil to remove the blade heat efficiently.

<img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//wink.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';)' /> Like many other aspects of correctly making a quality blade there are as many techniques as there are makers. Often it comes down to what has worked the best for you.

Gary

I may get laughed at, but I use a gallon pickle jar. Glass is a risk, I suppose, but it seemed less risky than quenching in the plastic five gallon bucket that the oil came in. That, plus you can tell the oils apart by their color, and it comes with a nifty lid. As your oil degrades over multiple quenches, you've got a few more gallons set back. Only drawback I've seen is that you can really only do about a 9 inch blade. I have not seen poor results even after quenching 8 or 10 blades in a row right out of the kiln, even with the smaller volume of oil.

I use 50 caliber ammunition can for quenching most of my blades. I can seal the can and slide it up under my press out of the way when not needed. If I have a larger blade I use an elongated tub I bought at a farm and ranch supply.