"Pete S" wrote in message
.. .
Not that old at all!

I see you have decided to case harden rather than try to "super quench",
but here's some info about "super quenching":
The process was devised by a guy named Rob Gunter when he worked for
Sandia National Labs about 20 or 30 years ago. He is a blacksmith and was
making prototype parts for the scientists at the time. In many cases they
wanted a part with "hard" characteristics, but, for whatever reason didn't
want to use tool steel. So Rob came up with this "super quench" formula.
He has demonstrated its use in dozens of cities around the USA over the
years and has many "converts" to it usefulness. It can obviously only be
used the cold working applications, since it doesn't take much heat at all
to begin to temper the low carbon 1018. I personally have seen him cut
some stock off a bar of 1018, form it into a chisel, harden it and then
cut another piece off the remaining 1018 bar without damaging the chisel's
cutting edge at all.

Here's the recipe:
http://www.artmetal.com/w-agora/view...&key=974737271

For more about Rob:
http://www.g3blacksmithing.com/about.html

Thanks Pete. Looks like most of the articles on this all quote each other.
I've read the recipe half a dozen times (and save it in my metal smithing
files) so far.