1095 offers a small but not insignificant challenge as to getting it to it's potential maximum hardness. It's critical heat is from 1475° to 1500°, with it being best to stay closer to the lower temp. From critical, it requires less than one second in temp drop to under 900° to get it to it's max hardness. A brine quench is about the only quench that will achieve this goal, but a quench in Canola oil warmed to about 130° is close enough for most practical purposes. There are of course commercial oils that are better, but expensive. It is a good practice to heat cycle whatever part you make from this this or other steels. Heat cycling reduces the grain size giving your part a stronger structure. Do 3 cycles total starting at about 1600°, down to about 1500°, and the last at about non-magnetic. Let each cycle air cool until you can handle the part, then harden and temper. Using a steel with less carbon than 1095 makes for a better degree of success. 1075, 1080, 1084, 5160, and some others are much more forgiving in their heat treat results and in use.
