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Just had a 15-year habit broken by a 70-year-old farrier in Ohio

I've always quenched my hot steel in water like everybody else I knew. It's fast and it gets the job done, or so I thought. Last month I was at a farrier workshop in Akron and this old timer watched me work for a bit, then pointed out all my welds were getting micro cracks from the water shock. He showed me how he uses a slow cool in warm lime water instead, and after trying it myself, the difference in weld integrity is honestly night and day. Has anyone else switched away from water quenching for structural pieces?
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the_taylor
the_taylor19d ago
You try vegetable oil yet? Switched to it for my smaller knife blades and the stress cracking stopped completely, plus you don't get that nasty steam pop.
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shah.evan
shah.evan19d ago
That lime water trick work for large stuff too or just welds?
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