Color Case Hardening?

I

ilikethisknife

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Feb 1, 2012
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This subject may have been brought up before, however can a knife be color case hardened to a good working hardness, and can it retain the colors? Thanks

Jack
 
From what my Gunsmith tells me, the hardening is only on the surface, and as soon as you sharpen it, it will cut through to the soft metal underneath. I tend to believe that, since you just don't see it practiced.
 
I've drilled into a case hardened part and the hardening is drawn into the steel and is not just on the surface. I believe you"d be good for a few sharpenings but your better off using a correct carbon steel and a proper HT from the start.
But It would be a working knife for a while....are you just interested for the colors?
 
It's used on lower carbon steels to impart a hardened higher carbon "case" on the outside, it's a water cold quench agitated with air, I think it would probably crack blade steel. Plus, it isn't very wear resistant, although it could be clear epoxy coated, Brownells has some. I have wanted to try it on guards/ bolsters, pommels and folder frames. It dies take some effort to get started, but not much its you have a forging setup already.
 
It's been used for decorative purposes on guards and pommels especially over nice engraving but It doesn't go especially deep that's why it's called "case" hardening, think case as in outer shell. So yeah I agree that it may be good for a few sharpenings but sooner rather than later you will hit soft metal exactly where you don't want it, right at the apex of the edge. You might can get it to work on a really thin slicer or fillet design? I don't know exactly how deep it penetrates.
 
Color case hardening requires heating the part to 1400 F, packing in a mixture of bone, charcoal and wood and soaking. Then, the part has to be removed from the packet and quenched in cold water. This leaves a skin only a few thousandths deep. It is used on mild steel to give a surface that is more resistant to scratch and rust. Think old Colt SAA pistols. Very pretty finish and durable, but not not for blades. If the blade didn't crack in the quench, it has a high probabilty on warping. That's why it was used on thicker pieces, like gun frames. Barrels and cylinders were not case hardened due to the warping and brittleness of the finish. "It could blow up real good".
Chip Kunkle
 
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