Brian Reay wrote:
FMurtz wrote:
Brian Reay wrote:
FMurtz wrote:
Any steel boffins around?
Fe/CS
Mn 2.03 0.86
Fe 95.4 2.19
Presumably heat cherry red and quench ,then in the old days used to
bring to selected colour then quench to temper but nowadays they seem to
stick in oven for selected time, how about 300 degrees for an hour then
let cool slowly?


There isnt a €˜one size fits all formula, it depends on the composition
and required hardness.

Your approach probably will result in initial hardening and some degree of
tempering but exactly where you will end up on the Rockwell scale is
debatable. If done a bit of reading around the topic to made things in the
past and some advocate multiple tempering cycles. There is quite a bit on
YouTube but mainly related to making knives rather than tools.

Not too critical, (vice jaws)hard but not brittle.


I dont pretend to be an expert but I would have looked at Case Hardening.
I was shown how to do this at school (as a pupil) when I made an adjustable
spanner. Basically you heat the metal to red heat and plunge it into a
carbon powder. You get a hard surface but the tool isnt brittle. I seem to
recall the powder was called Casemite - there were square tins used for
storage around the metal work room.

After the process you have to clean off the crust with a wire brush but the
finish seems to last. Ive still got the spanner I made over 40 years ago.

I have done it before but It is now too expensive and hard to get as
several brands have disappeared.You can make your own but I already have
the heat treatable ones almost made.