My uncle swore by a water quench for 5160 spring steel and I thought he was nuts

He's been a farrier for 40 years and told me point blank, 'Casey, you'll get a harder edge with water, just move it fast.' Every book and forum post said to use oil for 5160 to avoid cracks. I tried it his way on a camp knife blank last fall, heating it to a bright orange and then plunging it straight into a 5 gallon bucket. The sound was a sharp hiss, not the quiet sizzle of oil. I was sure I'd hear a ping and find a crack, but it came out fine. The file skated right off the edge. I tempered it back and it's held up through a whole season of processing kindling. It made me question a lot of the 'always do this' rules you read online. Has anyone else had a trusted old timer give you advice that went against the grain but worked out?

2 comments

2 Comments

grace_hunt8413h ago

Sometimes the best manual is a guy with forty years of grime under his fingernails. All those forum experts would have a fit, but you can't argue with a file skating off the edge. It just goes to show, the right way is often the way that actually works in your hand.

davidwright12h ago

Man, I used to be all about the book until I saw that in action.