Which Quench Oil Should I Use

Determining the proper quench oil means knowing the type of steel you are working with.  This is why using high quality steel is the best choice for knife making. 

Jantz offers three of the best quench oils on the market and between them they cover a wide variety of knife making steels including 52100, 80CrV2, O-1, and more. 

Read on for an overview of each type of quench oil or download the chart here.

#50 Quench Oil - A low viscosity oil that approaches water in quench speed, but offers a more uniform, less severe quench. It is recommended for open quench systems operating below l20°F. Best quench oil for 1095 – 1084 – 1080 – 1075

AAA Quench Oil - The world’s most widely specified accelerated fast oil quenchant. It is capable of quenching a variety steels, sizes and shaped parts with little or no change in operating parameters.

AAA Quench Oil achieves faster cooling rates through intensified action in the initial stages. This, and slower cooling through the martensitic transformation range, minimize distortion and ensures uniform maximum hardness to a greater depth. AAA Quench Oil is suitable for integral quenching and ideal for carbon, low and medium alloy steels.

Best all-around quench oil on the market. Can be used with any of the oil quenching steels that Jantz sells.

If you are going to be quenching a range of different alloys and want to invest in only one oil, this is the one you want to purchase.

Citgo 521 – Offers excellent thermal stability and oxidation resistance, uniform heat dissipation for quality hardened steel production, and less viscosity change during the quenching operation compared to low viscosity index oils.

Good all-around quench oil that is compatible with most oil quenching steels.