Hope this isn't a dumb question!

Case hardening involves introducing some manner of carbon into a low carbon steel to obtain a shallow hardening of the steel hence, case hardening. It is generally discouraged in making knives. Perhaps you are confusing the term with something else. what look are you wanting to achieve? Pictures are helpful.
 
Color case hardening, such as seen on antique/repop firearms, revolver frames and the like. Don't think that would work for blades. But hardware...
 
Chris Railey said:
Case hardening involves introducing some manner of carbon into a low carbon steel to obtain a shallow hardening of the steel hence, case hardening. It is generally discouraged in making knives. Perhaps you are confusing the term with something else. what look are you wanting to achieve? Pictures are helpful.
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I want the look on a normally hardened knife. I've read what it's for.
 
DoesntMatter said:
Can you case harden a knife before or after the quench? I love the look.
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Short answer is no. Through the case hardening process, if you did after heat treat, you'd destroy the heat treat on a blade. If you did it prior to heat treat, you'd likely destroy the case hardened look during "clean up", if you attempted to heat treat the blade. Not too mention that the case hardening process on any steel commonly used for blades, would create major issues within the steel, degrading it's stability. That's the reason case hardening is usually exclusive to mild steel.
 
EdCaffreyMS said:
Short answer is no. Through the case hardening process, if you did after heat treat, you'd destroy the heat treat on a blade. If you did it prior to heat treat, you'd likely destroy the case hardened look during "clean up", if you attempted to heat treat the blade. Not too mention that the case hardening process on any steel commonly used for blades, would create major issues within the steel, degrading it's stability. That's the reason case hardening is usually exclusive to mild steel.
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Thank you!
 
If you really like the look it could work for fittings though. Like just about anything though, there is a bit of an art to well done color case hardening.
 
I agree with Ed, but I have had some blades done and it did not seem to bother them, they were tool steel, never retested the hardness, I don,t recommend it, this was done to see what would happen, a friend of mine makes guns and uses this process on all kinds of gun parts, it is done in a salt bath, only left in for two minuets then into a chemical bath it is a very thin coating, it will not stand hard usage but looks great, here are some pictures of a RR spice that was taken to 2000 grit and went thru the process , the pictures do not do it justices. Deane
 

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Oldman, that spike looks good. Can you share more info on how it's done? I'm sure it wouldn't hold up to rough use on gun parts, but it sure would look good on an old 1876 Winchester I'm working on, perhaps for the side plates?
 
that would be perfect for the side plates. Mine is a '94 commemorative gold trigger etc and I would put those on in a heartbeat.
 
oldknife said:
I agree with Ed, but I have had some blades done and it did not seem to bother them, they were tool steel, never retested the hardness, I don,t recommend it, this was done to see what would happen, a friend of mine makes guns and uses this process on all kinds of gun parts, it is done in a salt bath, only left in for two minuets then into a chemical bath it is a very thin coating, it will not stand hard usage but looks great, here are some pictures of a RR spice that was taken to 2000 grit and went thru the process , the pictures do not do it justices. Deane
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The look on those items is awesome! I think I know the exact process used. ;) It's similar to hot bluing in how fragile it is. Although I've not tried it, a possibility to "toughen" up those finishes, might be a clear Gun-Kote? It works very well for hot blued items, so I'd think it could work for other fragile finishes.
 
DoesntMatter said:
I want the look on a normally hardened knife. I've read what it's for.
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DoesntMatter said:
I've read what it's for.
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I was answering your question by attempting to explain why it was not a good idea to case harden any knife. Your original question was
DoesntMatter said:
Can you case harden a knife before or after the quench
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In asking what look you were going for and asking for pictures there are many ways to finish a knife and you may could have gotten the look in another way that will work on a knife. Neither of these attempts to help you required a rude response. Good luck in your endeavors.
 
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Ed, I am sure gun-kote would work fine, he has had so done in karacoat. Ken all I know is it is heated in a salt bath for two minutes, the short heat time stops the warping and taking out the heat treat, he does 1911 frames and slides with no problem, I don,t know what the two chemicals are, know they are hard to get in small quintets. He does this for other people, if you have an interest I will ask if he would do them for you, or have him contact you. Deane
 
KenH said:
Oldman, that spike looks good. Can you share more info on how it's done? I'm sure it wouldn't hold up to rough use on gun parts, but it sure would look good on an old 1876 Winchester I'm working on, perhaps for the side plates?
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Years ago I worked for a gun Mfg. (Serrifile). my boss refused to color case any old lever actions as they had already been cased once at the factory. He felt double case hardening would make certain thin portions of the action hard all the way through. The case can be as much as .06 deep iirc...that would be per side on a thin piece.
Just a fwiw...
 
Chris Railey said:
I was answering your question by attempting to explain why it was not a good idea to case harden any knife. Your original question was

In asking what look you were going for and asking for pictures there are many ways to finish a knife and you may could have gotten the look in another way that will work on a knife. Neither of these attempts to help you required a rude response. Good luck in your endeavors.
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Wasn't being rude, sorry you took it that way.
 
The side plates I've got are not original, but a Uberti replica part for their 1876 replica lever action rifle. Some of the Uberti parts are "drop right in", while other parts might need a bit of file work to make them fit an old original 1876 Winchester. I never realized case hardening could go .060" deep, I was thinking more along the lines of .006" or so deep? With that said, I am NOT an expert by any means on case hardening.
 
KenH said:
The side plates I've got are not original, but a Uberti replica part for their 1876 replica lever action rifle. Some of the Uberti parts are "drop right in", while other parts might need a bit of file work to make them fit an old original 1876 Winchester. I never realized case hardening could go .060" deep, I was thinking more along the lines of .006" or so deep? With that said, I am NOT an expert by any means on case hardening.
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I could be off there ken...I remember .06...but I am getting old. I do remember he wouldn't case any old stuff.
 
oldknife said:
Ken, this is more a case coloring than a case hardening, I doubt that it is .006 thick.
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That would be my idea also, very thin. The case hardening I've drilled on old original rifle actions has been "skin deep" type of thickness. That's all I'm looking for with this rifle - case coloring for looks.
 
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