By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more
Forum sponsored by:
Forum sponsored by Forum House Ad Zone

Case Hardening

All Topics | Latest Posts

Search for:  in Thread Title in  
1 2 Next > Last >>
Mike Gibbons03/03/2011 16:10:42
8 forum posts
Hi All,
Can anybody help? I want to case harden a couple of small components, but Kasenite, the stuff I've always used to do this job, seems to have dissapeared into the "infinite" ( is it a case of "H & S" strikes yet again ? ).
I didn't have the forethought to stock-up a life-time supply.
 
The only alternative I can find to Kasenite comes in a £30 tub; I just don't want that much. So the question is: does anybody know of a supplier of small quantities of case hardening compound?
 
Regards, Mike.
Keith Long03/03/2011 17:29:01
883 forum posts
11 photos

Hi

Try Chronos - it's in their catalogue

Keith


Tony Pratt 103/03/2011 19:12:59
2319 forum posts
13 photos
I was going to suggest Chronos until I saw the price- it's £30 a tub
Tony
Michael Cox 103/03/2011 19:43:22
555 forum posts
27 photos
It is fairly easy to case harden steel simply by packing the pieces in powdered charcoal in a steel tube. If the pieces are small then simply pinch off bothe ends of the tube to exclude air. Half an hour at bright red heat gives a surface which, after quenching , is glass hard. Mixing about 10% sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with the charcoal seems to speed up the process a little.
 
The active ingredient of Kasenit was sodium or potassium ferrocyanide. This is available on ebay.
Mike Gibbons03/03/2011 21:54:53
8 forum posts
Thanks for your replies.
Chronos was my first stop - - - but £30 a tub!!
I know about packing the components into a box with carbon-rich material, but I don't have a good enough heat source to hold it at temperature for a relatively long time period. That's the trouble with being retired, at work I had access to a muffle furnace.
 
I seem to recall hearing about ferrocyanide, but has anybody bought it and used it - - are there any problems: I think the cyanide reference makes me a little cautious - - - I also had access to chemists at work.
Regards, Mike
Keith Long03/03/2011 22:22:18
883 forum posts
11 photos

Hi Mike

I've just done a quick Google search and come up with a couple of possibles for you:-

http://www.peterdyson.co.uk

&

http://www.peterdyson.co.uk

They're both gunsmiths and do small packages of case hardening material at about £10 - £12.50. Still not cheap but better than £30.

I'm a bit shocked at the price, I've got a paper Chronos catalogue which lists a small pack at £13 but that doesn't seem to show on their website, and i suppose the cat. is about 4 years old

The gunsmiths also show a lot of products for blackening, browning and blueing of steel, ali and brass. so not all effort wasted!

Keith


AndyP04/03/2011 00:03:18
189 forum posts
30 photos
My 400g tub of Case Hardening Powder from Blackgates says £10 plus coppers on the lid. Bought at Harrogate relatively recently.
It works.
 
Cheers, Andy
michael bird05/03/2011 11:48:48
22 forum posts
9 photos
hello. do all steels case harden? and if not which grade do i need. thanks.
oilcan05/03/2011 14:03:25
34 forum posts
Best not to try and case harden any exotic alloy steels, but generaly, most straight carbon steels are case hardenable. 080M15 & 130M15 arespecificaly designed for case hardening.
perhaps best to stear clear of trying to case harden free cutting steels , especialy the leaded type, although there are types of free cutting steel that are case hardenable,but cannot recall what the alloying agent is.
can highly recommend WPS 1 hardening, tempering and heat treatment by Tubal Cain.
about the only book you'll need on the subject.
Mike Gibbons05/03/2011 21:04:37
8 forum posts
Hi Keith & Andy,
 
Thanks for the info', Peter Dyson looks ok at £10 a bottle and I'll send an email to Blackgates to see if they still stock it: pity you can't find out from their web-site.
 
Regards, Mike
Ian S C06/03/2011 11:16:52
avatar
7468 forum posts
230 photos
Kasenit recomend its use on mild steel, and wrought iron. Also the mention its use on silver steel to obtain the ultimate in hardness. Ian S C
KWIL06/03/2011 12:09:30
3681 forum posts
70 photos
Ian, does that mean YOU can still buy GENUINE Kasenit?
Ian S C07/03/2011 00:48:37
avatar
7468 forum posts
230 photos
Yes KWIL, last time I was at the shop where I buy my bit and pieces they had some, and I asked about it, they knew nothing of it becomming unavailable in the fore see able future, mind you that was before the last earthquake, the shop is inside the danger area, and yesterday would have been the first time the owners would have been alowed back in to have a look at their property. I was in town Saterday and Sunday, its a mess, and thats after a lot of rubbish has been cleaned up. Sept 2010 EQ they moved out 38,000 tonne of silt, this time it was 300,000 tonne. Sorry a bit OT. Ian S C
John Olsen07/03/2011 04:35:26
1294 forum posts
108 photos
1 articles
I think Kasenit did go off the market for some years, but came back on. Since I still have some of my original supply from about 25 years ago, I don't know the exact timing of this.
 
regards
John
Ian S C07/03/2011 07:24:56
avatar
7468 forum posts
230 photos
last seen at George Henerys in Manchester st Christchurch, when and if they reopen I'll have another look, and if they have some I think I'l pick up a tin, it'll be well shaken! Ian S C
mgj07/03/2011 17:37:26
1017 forum posts
14 photos
I was wondering why one shouldn't try to case harden freecutting steel. I routinely case harden free cutting leaded, and it works a treat for modelling purposes. Its hard enough you won't touch it with a file - in fact for the last couple of models I have hardend nothing else. Axles in the bearing are, pins etc.
 
All one is trying to do is get an excess of carbon in there on the grain boundaries. May not be as good as the smarter steels, in high tech applications, (it isn't - fact) but its certainly good enough for our purposes.
 
I use Kasenit- i shared a tub with someone.
John C12/03/2011 18:46:24
273 forum posts
95 photos
Hi Mike,
If you are still looking, there is hardening compound on ebay here:
 
 
Sorry about the full URL; I'm using Google Chrome and the insert links tool doesn't seem to work.
John
KWIL13/03/2011 08:27:55
3681 forum posts
70 photos
I ask again, GENUINE Kasenit in the UK?
 
The advertisers have the "word" in their links but the product sold is NOT Kasenit but some other "similar" product, usually in a white pot.
Peter Bell13/03/2011 08:29:01
399 forum posts
167 photos

Hi,
 
In an earlier post 080M15 & 130M15 are quoted as specificaly designed for case hardening. I googled this and it came seems that EN32 is similar?
 
I want to make some pinions using one of the above steels but only need a small quantity of 12mm dia. I dont seem to be able to find a supplier at the moment, can anyone point me in the right direction?
 
Thanks Peter
Terryd13/03/2011 09:28:31
avatar
1946 forum posts
179 photos
Hi KWIL,
 
This company sell it. It is out of stock at the moment but they reckon it will be back in by the middle of this month. They are in Warwick, their address is in the 'contact us' section (link at the bottom of the screen that the link above takes you to). Worth a phone call, good price too.
 
Best regards
 
Terry
1 2 Next > Last >>

All Topics | Latest Posts

Please login to post a reply.

Magazine Locator

Want the latest issue of Model Engineer or Model Engineers' Workshop? Use our magazine locator links to find your nearest stockist!

Find Model Engineer & Model Engineers' Workshop

Sign up to our Newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter and get a free digital issue.

You can unsubscribe at anytime. View our privacy policy at www.mortons.co.uk/privacy

Latest Forum Posts
Support Our Partners
cowells
Sarik
MERIDIENNE EXHIBITIONS LTD
Shopping Partners
Subscription Offer

Latest "For Sale" Ads
Latest "Wanted" Ads
Get In Touch!

Do you want to contact the Model Engineer and Model Engineers' Workshop team?

You can contact us by phone, mail or email about the magazines including becoming a contributor, submitting reader's letters or making queries about articles. You can also get in touch about this website, advertising or other general issues.

Click THIS LINK for full contact details.

For subscription issues please see THIS LINK.

Digital Back Issues

Social Media online

'Like' us on Facebook
Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter
 Twitter Logo

Pin us on Pinterest

 

Donate

donate