Yes and for some reason the neighbors don't like it when I yell at him to return home.

:rotf::rotf:

Bruce, I feel your pain. That not only happens in fly over country but right here in the east. My home state of New Hampshire was once VERY RED and now has turned blue. Folks moving in from south of us with there liberal ideas.

Pawel, I have Dr. Oscar Gaddy's articles from 1996 on the Color case hardening process if you would like to have them in a pdf format. They may be helpful to you. If so, please e mail me at
l.stallones@centurytel.net

Edgar. you can not do a Rockwell test or a Brinnell test on a casehardened surface because the depth of the case is in the case of a gun receiver is less than .002 deep. Therefore when the diamond penetrator enters the casehardened surface it enters to deep giving a false reading. Casehardening leaves the inside soft which makes the component stronger. Carbon steels have a carbon content of 0.4% or higher and will harden through the entire part although the core will be softer than the surface

...........:corn:





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Carbon Steels usuaaly start with low carbon like 1008 and go up to 1030, medium carbon are 1040 to 1060 and high carbon is 1070 to 1090. Note the last two numbers refer to the decimal percent carbon content. These are simple unalloyed steels. Low carbon is not heat treatable per se but can be case hardened. The case depth is dependent on the process used and can be as little as .005 for nitriding and .010 for carbon packing and furnace heating. Gas carburizing can even go deeper.

Case hardening only makes the surface harder for low carbon steels. It does not make it stronger. What is the outcome of the process is a hard outer surface with a non-brittle tough core. Note that this is a very old process done with low tech steels.

We need Ed "The Torch" Good to come back and explain case colors.

I Probably should have asked if he did Vickers hardness testing, but it would have been rhetorical. >oo2 sounds a bit thin, as compared to etch testing already performed. I would expect to see case depths of .005 or thicker.
This sounds too broad a statement, unless you know the chemistry. Soak times also affect depth.
Unlike many gunmakers, Parker used forgings with elevated nickel and moly, not plain carbon steel. Blindly heat treating anything without knowing its analysis can leave you with much deeper harness, and reduced ductility.
I KNEW someone would bring up good ole Ed's name in the conversation.
Admit it, Bruce, you miss him too, right?

Oh yes Edgar. I do.

I fear some secrets have been lost without him, such as grade and viscosity of the motor oil, new or used and how long to apply the torch. And I miss his formidable writing skills.

It's part of being inclusive, valuing each and everybody and being a safe space. I'm glad you agree.