Hot take: a farrier in Amarillo told me he quenches his hoof knives in oil, not water, and it made me rethink my whole tempering setup

Keith Martinez · 2026-09-29T07:50:03.44616+00:00

I was at a stock show in Amarillo two weeks back and got to talking with a farrier who's been shoeing horses for 30 years. He said he used to lose 3 or 4 hoof knives a season to chipping at the edge, all because he was dunking them in water straight off the anvil. He switched to warm canola oil and says he hasn't cracked a blade in 5 years. That stuck with me because I've been water quenching my small blades out of habit since I started at 19. Water pulls heat too fast on thin stock, and oil gives you that slower drop so the edge holds up. I've got 6 blades sitting on my bench right now I'm scared to finish. Any of you oil quench your smaller tools, or am I about to wreck a batch finding out?

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Hot take: a farrier in Amarillo told me he quenches his hoof knives in oil, not water, and it made me rethink my whole tempering setup | Blacksmiths - The Community Guide