[TheForge] Harden & temper

[Bruce Freeman]

Having used Basic I, I can assure you it is NOWHERE near as caustic as
lye.  In all likelihood, the lye on the Basic I label was used to
adjust pH and represents a very small amount of lye.  Lye can also be
considered a "component" of soap, if you look at it that way.

I don't suggest novices even make a solution of lye without wearing a
moon suit.  (OK, that's a slight exaggeration, but not all that much.)
 Lye + water = HOT lye solution, spalling droplets of caustic into the
air that you can smell and which irritate the eyes.  Lye + ice + water
is less foreboding.  I have dealt with lye all my career, and do so
now as a when making soap and for some cleaning, so I know whereof I
speak.  Lye, solid or solution, will destroy your eyes if it comes
into contact with them.  It can wreck havoc with mucous tissue.  Given
a little time, it will melt your skin like the Wicked Witch of the
West was melted by water.  Do NOT underestmate the hazards of lye.

I really cannot imagine how one could safely plunge orange-hot steel
into a concentrated solution of lye in a shop environment.  I might
consider doing this if the lye were in a fume hood, behind a glass
shield, with a high air flow into the hood, and I were wearing
goggles, a face shield, gauntlet gloves and a lab coat.

On Fri, Jun 17, 2011 at 1:07 AM, Paul Sperbeck <forge at wi.rr.com> wrote:
> The interesting thing aside from the quenching qualities or 'super
> quench' is that one of the ingredients is Basic I from Shaklee...
>
> If you read the label you will find that the Basic I contains Sodium
> Hydroxide... our old friend lye... the nasty chemical that the super
> quench was developed to replace...
>
> Kind of looks like the $2 can of lye was replaced by $25 a gallon lye
>
> Guess I will stay with lye and safety glasses and a face shield.
>
> paul
>
>
>
> On 06/16/2011 10:10 AM, David E. Smucker wrote:
>> Super Quench is nothing but a fast quench -- equal to a NaOH solution quench
>> in speed.  It is just safer than using caustic.  Use of caustic has been
>> around in industry for years and is really not too much faster than a brine
>> quench.  In industrial use high velocity water sprays can do a similar
>> quench because they also break up / prevent a steam film or layer happening
>> during the quench.
>>
>> Dave Smucker
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Bruce Freeman"<freemab222 at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, June 16, 2011 9:09 AM
>> To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA"<theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Harden&  temper
>>
> <snip>
> ______________________________________________________________
> TheForge mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:TheForge at mailman.qth.net
>
> TheForge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoworks.com
> Login: blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> Password: anvil
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>



-- 
Bruce
NJ