Case Hardened Parts-Reworkable?

Case hardening on normal steel parts (not guns) is usually .050" deep. So any filing, sanding, shaping, etc. will remove the case hardening.

The case hardening only extends to the surface and slightly below. This gives the part a hard surface and a softer but tougher interior. If you remove the surface layer, you remove the case hardening.

The color is a microscopically thin surface effect. Any dehorning or polishing will remove it. The hard case itself is several thousandths thick, but has no color.

To make things even more confusing, there are many vintage firearms that have case hardened parts and receivers, but do not have the color effect. And there are modern firearms of modern steel that do have the color effect.

I wish i could remember where but I saw something on doing the coloring to get get the case hardened look on one of the TV gun shows, maybe Shooting Gallery? Anyway, you heat the surface of the metal with something like a propane torch (not real hot mind you) and spread a chemical powder on the heated area. It left the coloring. They did a screwdriver, pan, a key and then a revolver receiver. It looked nice on TV when they were done.

Anyway, you heat the surface of the metal with something like a propane torch

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A torch job can be seen from at least ten yards and will lower the value to app 10% of what it was worth before you messed with it.

When you want real case colors prep the item to 320 grit and send it ou to a company that does case color hardening.

When you have worked a part and it is now soft and you do not care about the colors and want the hardness use Kasenite just follow the directions on the can.

flame coloring vs. color case hardened

be carefull as ther is a big difference between something that is flame colored and something that is color case hardened.