trigger

[Kenny]

I am making a trigger, I got 1 1/2 X 1/8th steel from hardware store and made it as shown in Hershels video. question is now that it`s complete, should I harden it?
thanks, Kenny

[Hungry Horse]

 I have never hardened one. I have a couple of guns that have had hand forged triggers in them for years without any problems. I do case harden the nail it pivots on just so the trigger doesn't wear a notch in the nail.

                   Hungry Horse

[Acer Saccharum]

Hardened pivot and hardened and polished sliding surface where trigger blade contacts the sear makes for a crisper trigger pull.

You can case harden the whole trigger, or spot harden with Kasen-It.

[Kenny]

thanks guys. I hadn't thought about it until I was reading a post about hardened triggers. Acer, how do you spot harden with casenit?

[Acer Saccharum]

Get your part red hot, dip in Kasenit, then re-heat until Kasenit melts, then quench in water.

I think it's no longer available , but Brownell's sells a similar casehardening compound.

[bob in the woods]

I have a rifle that I built about 11 years ago, which has approx 2000 shots fired.
single forged trigger from hot rolled steel , not hardened. I have  recently noticed that there is a small amount of resistance in the let off at the very start of the trigger pull, so examined the top of the bar where the sear contacts. There is a slight wear point, so I now plan to polish it out and harden.  Can't hurt !   

[Bob Roller]

Kasenit ,if used can be made to color harden if a potassium nitrate rich
quench agent is used. I still have a small amount of Kasenit and use
8 ozs. of potassium nitrate (saltpeter) in 5 gallons of distilled water.
Use a plastic container because over a period of time,a steel bucket
will rust out and you'll have a wet floor.
I think Kasenit may have been discontinued in 2011 but once in a while
some can be found. The Cherry Red will harden mild steel but it leaves only
a flat gray?color.

Bob Roller

[bob in the woods]

Anyone know why kasenit was discontinued?   Was/is it toxic ?    I still have some, and like it, but make a point of not breathing the fumes.

[Acer Saccharum]

I thought it was non-toxic. Maybe that's what's wrong with me?

[bob in the woods]

sodiumferrocyanide......what's bad about that ?

[Kenny]

thanks guys, I have a small can of casenit I bought a few years ago, I think I`ll give it a try.

Kenny

[blaksmth]

Hungry Horse , Let me pass on a good trick for  trigger pins my Dad showed me this , Get the needle bearings out of a U-Joint and you never have to worry about hardening pins again they work great in a mule Ear lock too!!!