To all who replied to my posting on quenching oil, my many, many thanks. As a novice blade smith, I REALLY value the education.
I did discover that canola oil beats olive oil because canola has a higher flash point thus making it conduct heat more evenly before catching fire.
FYI I am an engineer familiar with working metals, but my experience is with precision heat treating ovens and milling machines. Uhhh... Not much of that applies to hand making blades with fire and hammer. But, the old fashion way is a lot more fun. Novice I may be, but at 72 years old I want no longer to