Oil hardening vs water hardening for tool steel - which is actually better?

I was reading that old copy of "Practical Blacksmithing" by Richardson I picked up at a flea market in Topeka last summer, and it claims water hardening gives you a tougher edge on chisels, but I've been doing oil hardening for years and it's fine. The book says water quenching creates more stress fractures, but my grandpa swore by it for decades. I'm curious what everyone else here uses for things like drifts or hot cuts, and if you've actually seen a difference in durability.

2 comments

2 Comments

emery1925d ago

Water quenching does give a tougher edge on certain steels but the risk of cracking is real, especially if you're working with thinner stuff like drifts. Oil is way more forgiving, and unless you're using a specific high carbon steel that needs that fast quench, you're not losing much toughness with oil.

walker.cole24d ago

Different steels though. Some of that simpler high carbon stuff really does benefit from the fast quench. I've cracked a few thin pieces in water so I know the risk, but a slow oil quench on something like 1095 can leave it too soft.