kasenit

I have a plastic tub of Kasenit case hardening compound unfortunately I don't have the instructions for use Can anyone help please?

Roy

got mine from Chronos a few years ago- might be something on their site about it. If not drop me a line and I'll try to find my leaflet and copy for you.

Merry Christmas Ian

hi roy,

the instructions are (if i remember correctly, as my original tin has rusted) is to heat to red heat then plunge in the powder, then reheat to red and plunge in water. ive never quite understood this method. i coat the work in kasenit mixed to a paste in water (not a lot of water mind you). i heat to red heat as long as i want then plunge in water. very good quite deep case hardened surface this way and no scale either.

look after your kasenit as it isnt available anymore!

cheers,

julian

Hi Roy

Just checked my nearly full tin

1. Heat part to bright red and put into the powder. Move it around so that it sticks all over the part.

2. Re-heat to bright red (careful, you need tinted goggles as it seems to glow incandescently). Plunge straight into cold clean water.

For a deeper case, do step 1 twice before step 2

(Julian, I've never needed to use water as it has always stuck straight away for me)

Cheers - Will

Sadly true, however Blackgates do their own brand of case hardening powder witch works exactly the same as and has the same properties as Kasenit.

I normally get mine from their stand at whatever particular event they and I are at.

Paul

Roy, Broadly speaking everyone is correct but sometimes you will need to heat to full red and dip into the powder then heat some more and dip again to make sure you have powder on the component.

Also you then need to apply heat for several minuets obtain a sufficient case before quenching.

John F

And if it dosnt 'pop' its not done.

Alan

Or should I say, have a distinctive crack sound when its quenched

Alan

I seem to recall that you can repeat the ' heat and dip' process for a deeper case. I'm sure that you will all know that of course kasenite and similar products are made so as to be able to case harden mild steels, so it's use is uneccessary on carbon steels.

Thank you all I knew someone would know May I wish everyone the complements of the season and a happy new year?

Roy

As SteeveTee says it's unnecessary to use it on carbon steel, but the tin says it can be used on silver steel.

Ian S C

I wouldn't use it on silver steel as the quenching process will harden it all through and could make it brittle.

By the way, why is "carbon steel" called that? Doesn't all steel contain carbon?

Russell.

good stuff but --

make sure you store it well away from little fingers.my tin lives at the back on the highest shelf in the workshop. I think the reason it is no longer available is because it contains cyanide!!

Best wishes to all for the festive season.

Brian, sorry for playing spoilsport here, but Kasenit does not contain cyanide. It contains a complex salt of Ferrocyanide (could be Ferri-, not too sure which). but one of the wonders of Chemistry is that the same name in different combinations has not the same property. You spice your meals daily with Sodium chloride, which contains Sodium (very nasty) and Chlorine (even more nasty). Will you stop doing that because they both are strong poisons?

Regards, Frank