Video Clip - Case Hardening

[Jim Kibler]

A short video showing quenching of lock parts packed in charcoal.  This process creates a hard outer shell, but retains a tough inner core.  Perfect for lock internals.  Was a great process for hundreds of years and still is today.



Jim

[Ric27]

That is a really great setup Jim! I got one of you new locks. Very impressive design and quality control.

Ric

[45-110]

Kind of surprised by the shop kiln location! Between the mill and lathe, its dirty work. Have a friend who does this for a living and his overall technique of handling the crucible is very different.
kw

[Bob Roller]

I stopped lock work last August but still make a few double set triggers and I still have Kasenit,
Brownell's and Cherry Red. I use a #5 torch with a tank of dissolved acetylene as a heat source
and I heat the triggers to orange/red and put them in the Cherry Red or Brownell's powder.
Let them cool a bit,pull them out (they're on a wire)and reheat to the same color and after
about 3 minutes quench them in 5 gallons of water that has 2 pounds of Potassium Nitrate
dissolved in it and it hardens the triggers and leaves a low level of color. I don't polish them
to a near chrome finish but the color is still good.I know this is a backwoods idea but it works.
The sears and tumblers on MOST of my locks for the last 50 years have been made from 0-1
and 1144 StressProof,both are oil hardening steels.
Jim and Katherine are making available extremely fine products for the current group of gun
makers and I am glad to see it.I wish my shop was a neat as theirs but it ain't nor can it
be.My wife Brenda and myself wish for all who see this a safe,sickness and accident free 2020.

Bob Roller

[Jim Kibler]

That is a really great setup Jim! I got one of you new locks. Very impressive design and quality control.

Ric

Thanks Ric.  We worked hard to develop a great design as well as a product with precision.  It's not been easy but definetely worth it!  Glad you like the lock.  Won't be long for the next model!

Thanks,
Jim

[Jim Kibler]

Kind of surprised by the shop kiln location! Between the mill and lathe, its dirty work. Have a friend who does this for a living and his overall technique of handling the crucible is very different.
kw

We built our shop three years ago.  It's 40'x72' and we're already about out of room!  I'm sure there is a more ideal place for the heat treating equipment, but it's not in the cards right now.  It's also true that there is probably a better technique, but this was quick to get going and has worked well.  We've gotten good hardness, case depth  and no scale.  Decent colors have been a byproduct. 

One thing for sure.  With a business growing like we are, you quickly learn to prioritize projects.

All the best,
Jim

[Jim Kibler]

I stopped lock work last August but still make a few double set triggers and I still have Kasenit,
Brownell's and Cherry Red. I use a #5 torch with a tank of dissolved acetylene as a heat source
and I heat the triggers to orange/red and put them in the Cherry Red or Brownell's powder.
Let them cool a bit,pull them out (they're on a wire)and reheat to the same color and after
about 3 minutes quench them in 5 gallons of water that has 2 pounds of Potassium Nitrate
dissolved in it and it hardens the triggers and leaves a low level of color. I don't polish them
to a near chrome finish but the color is still good.I know this is a backwoods idea but it works.
The sears and tumblers on MOST of my locks for the last 50 years have been made from 0-1
and 1144 StressProof,both are oil hardening steels.
Jim and Katherine are making available extremely fine products for the current group of gun
makers and I am glad to see it.I wish my shop was a neat as theirs but it ain't nor can it
be.My wife Brenda and myself wish for all who see this a safe,sickness and accident free 2020.

Bob Roller

Thanks Bob!  We try to keep a decently clean shop, but it's of course a never ending battle.  Even though I've been around this stuff for a while, I've only handled one of your locks that I recall.  I was a able to study it for a while and was impressed with the mechanism design and function.  It was smooth, crisp and functioned perfectly as I recall.  This has stuck with me.

All the best,
Jim

[oldtravler61]

  Jim the major things I have noticed in this kit making journey that you have started. Is that you have never ever thought that it's good enough philosophy. I commend you an Katherine on continuing to improve your product an yet keep your pricing fair.
 
Oldtravler

[44-henry]

If you have room I would recommend using a 55 gallon drum for a quench tank with a piece of wire mesh inside for easier recovery. The setup I made at my university has a cover with a 5" square hole in the center to fit the inverted crucible system that I use for color case hardening. You will find this system both easier and safer than your current system and the results are in my opinion more repeatable.  As an added bonus the majority of the blowback will stay in the tank and not get all over your lathe and bridgeport. I will try and get some photos of my current setup posted shortly. PM me if you want more info.
 

[StevenV]

very interesting Jim. Are you color/case hardening for color or hardening. The reason I ask I have started to "fire blue " all screws as the finish when building flintlocks. My technique is file/sand smooth parts to blue, then with propane torch hit til blue and quench in oil. Its not a very durable finish. Wondering if your technique would yield a more durable finish and is it possible to get blue?  Steve (If hardening is your main desire I can start another thread, as I am not looking to hijack your video)

[Jim Kibler]

If you have room I would recommend using a 55 gallon drum for a quench tank with a piece of wire mesh inside for easier recovery. The setup I made at my university has a cover with a 5" square hole in the center to fit the inverted crucible system that I use for color case hardening. You will find this system both easier and safer than your current system and the results are in my opinion more repeatable.  As an added bonus the majority of the blowback will stay in the tank and not get all over your lathe and bridgeport. I will try and get some photos of my current setup posted shortly. PM me if you want more info.

Sounds interesting.  Perhaps you couuld share some photos and information here?  That way others can learn too.  Thanks!

Jim

[Jim Kibler]

very interesting Jim. Are you color/case hardening for color or hardening. The reason I ask I have started to "fire blue " all screws as the finish when building flintlocks. My technique is file/sand smooth parts to blue, then with propane torch hit til blue and quench in oil. Its not a very durable finish. Wondering if your technique would yield a more durable finish and is it possible to get blue?  Steve (If hardening is your main desire I can start another thread, as I am not looking to hijack your video)

I'm just hardening lock internals.  I don't care about colors.  This process is simply to give the lock parts the strength and hardness necessary for smooth operation and a long life.

Jim

[Jim Kibler]

  Jim the major things I have noticed in this kit making journey that you have started. Is that you have never ever thought that it's good enough philosophy. I commend you an Katherine on continuing to improve your product an yet keep your pricing fair.
 
Oldtravler

Oh, you can be sure we're a long way from being satisfied!  This has always confused me with some of the other suppliers.  The products obviously have room for improvement, but as long as they're selling some they apparently feel things are good enough!  Hmmm...

[Bob Roller]

From steam car designer Abner Doble came this: "The Best isn't good enough".
The best can start at the top and go up from there.From E.L.Cord when he showed
the new Model "J"Duesenberg:The cost conscious mass market is not included here
and only those who want and can afford the best can be interested in our car.
The Kibler's kits are affordable to most of us and I have noticed an absence of a
distressed market in the years I have been on this forum.That takes some doing.
Bob Roller