doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Case Hardening Small Parts

When necessary to case harden small parts like sear tips, repairs to hammers and such I wonder if the use of Kasenit and products like that really do much. The old timers who really understood case hardening must chuckle to themselves...

I have used Kasenit with good results. One result you won't like is a dull gray surface but it will have a skin thick hardened area.

bill

I tried Kasinit a couple times and didn't think much of it. You heat metal to cherry red and push it into the powder. I got lots of dangerous smoke, but the surface of the metal did not seem any harder when a light file was applied. Perhaps I misunderstood the application and others may have had better results?

I have used Kasenit on numerous parts with good results. It will put a skin on a piece of low carbon steel that a file will just "Skate" across. When you put the red hot part down in the Kasenit it will cool down & requires being brought back up to heat prior to quenching. Were you skipping this step Kurt. To harden any piece of steel either by case hardening or by through hardening on higher carbon steel it is requisite that the steel be above its critical temperture at time of quench. If you have cooked in the carbon & quench from this temp, it should harden.

And try to soak the part at red heat for a minute--that lets the Kasenit penetrate the metal.

Kasenit works just fine when used properly. I have also used sugar to caseharden home made thread chasers made from nuts or bolts when the correct tap or die was not available. The sugar was used the same as Kasenit to carbonize the surface.