As we all know, sooner or later someone is going to use the wrong size screwdriver to remove the screws on the gun's we build. This usually causes the slot to become deformed and in general uglys up the whole area of the gun.
One little thing I do when building a ML rifle is to case harden the side plate and tang screw screw heads to protect them from their owner (in my case, that would be me
.)
Most builders already know about KASENIT (little Reg TM symbol here) but many new builders may not be familure with it.
KASENIT is a powder which is used to case harden mild steel.
Most common screws are made of mild steel, which without special treatments cannot be hardened.
KASENIT is easy to use, it is not toxic and it is inexpensive and it is available from most muzzleloading builder supply houses.
To give an idea of how to harden a screw head I will give my method:
If the screw head shape is not what you want, machine or file it to the desired shape.
Sand and polish it to the desired finish. (You will remove the case if you sand much material off after hardening. Repolishing will not remove enough material to make any difference).
First, have the KASENIT, a propane torch, a bowl of water some plyers and the screw(s) all within easy reach.
Wear Safety Glasses during this process.
Second, using the plyers to hold the screw, heat the screw head until it is a bright orange/red. Plunge the heated head into the KASENIT. This will form a glob of the material on the screw.
Third, using the propane torch reheat the glob until it turns a nice bright red color. Hold it at this temperature for at least 3 minutes. Five minutes is better.
While you sit there watching the bright orange ball of fire which surrounds the glob you can think about what is happening. The KASENIT has turned into a molten blob and it is releasing Carbon into the screws steel. This Carbon is what will harden the steel when it is quenched.
The longer you hold it at this temperature, the deeper into the steel the Carbon will penetrate.
If the KASENIT seems to dissapear in the first few minutes, stick the screw back into the powder and reheat to the molten red condition.
After you have grown bored with this, and at least 3 minutes have passed, plunge the molten blob (and screw head) into the cold water.
Be ready for a POP!!!! when you do this and don't jump back. It's bark is worse than it's bite.
This pop has shattered the molten blob, exposed the screw head and the cold water has hardened the steel all in one quick instant!!
If you want to, you can use an old worn out file and test the hardness or you can just take my word for it.
(Note, if your working on thicker pieces of steel, you may want to do the file test. If the steel is not file hard, you may have to reheat the steel to a bright red and re quench it in water to develop it's full hardness.)
Now you have a screw which is all gray and crappy looking but all is not lost.
If the screw head was polished, it is easy to re-polish it just a little to return it to its nice shiny state.
You may want to gently, slowly reheat the screw head to a nice blue color and then oil quench it to finish it off.
KASENIT is also good for rehardening the Frizzen face on cheap locks.
I don't have time to go into this process but a friend buried his KASENIT coated frizzen in a pile of burning charcoal for about 15 minutes, then reheated and quenched the frizzen and as far as I know it is still sending a good shower of sparks into his pan.
NOTE:
If your lock is a Chambers, Davis, Siler or L&R, you should substitute the water quench with an oil quench. These lock frizzens are made out of oil hardening steel and may shatter if you water quench them.:cry:
One little thing I do when building a ML rifle is to case harden the side plate and tang screw screw heads to protect them from their owner (in my case, that would be me
.)Most builders already know about KASENIT (little Reg TM symbol here) but many new builders may not be familure with it.
KASENIT is a powder which is used to case harden mild steel.
Most common screws are made of mild steel, which without special treatments cannot be hardened.
KASENIT is easy to use, it is not toxic and it is inexpensive and it is available from most muzzleloading builder supply houses.
To give an idea of how to harden a screw head I will give my method:
If the screw head shape is not what you want, machine or file it to the desired shape.
Sand and polish it to the desired finish. (You will remove the case if you sand much material off after hardening. Repolishing will not remove enough material to make any difference).
First, have the KASENIT, a propane torch, a bowl of water some plyers and the screw(s) all within easy reach.
Wear Safety Glasses during this process.
Second, using the plyers to hold the screw, heat the screw head until it is a bright orange/red. Plunge the heated head into the KASENIT. This will form a glob of the material on the screw.
Third, using the propane torch reheat the glob until it turns a nice bright red color. Hold it at this temperature for at least 3 minutes. Five minutes is better.
While you sit there watching the bright orange ball of fire which surrounds the glob you can think about what is happening. The KASENIT has turned into a molten blob and it is releasing Carbon into the screws steel. This Carbon is what will harden the steel when it is quenched.
The longer you hold it at this temperature, the deeper into the steel the Carbon will penetrate.
If the KASENIT seems to dissapear in the first few minutes, stick the screw back into the powder and reheat to the molten red condition.
After you have grown bored with this, and at least 3 minutes have passed, plunge the molten blob (and screw head) into the cold water.
Be ready for a POP!!!! when you do this and don't jump back. It's bark is worse than it's bite.
This pop has shattered the molten blob, exposed the screw head and the cold water has hardened the steel all in one quick instant!!
If you want to, you can use an old worn out file and test the hardness or you can just take my word for it.
(Note, if your working on thicker pieces of steel, you may want to do the file test. If the steel is not file hard, you may have to reheat the steel to a bright red and re quench it in water to develop it's full hardness.)
Now you have a screw which is all gray and crappy looking but all is not lost.
If the screw head was polished, it is easy to re-polish it just a little to return it to its nice shiny state.
You may want to gently, slowly reheat the screw head to a nice blue color and then oil quench it to finish it off.
KASENIT is also good for rehardening the Frizzen face on cheap locks.
I don't have time to go into this process but a friend buried his KASENIT coated frizzen in a pile of burning charcoal for about 15 minutes, then reheated and quenched the frizzen and as far as I know it is still sending a good shower of sparks into his pan.
NOTE:
If your lock is a Chambers, Davis, Siler or L&R, you should substitute the water quench with an oil quench. These lock frizzens are made out of oil hardening steel and may shatter if you water quench them.:cry:
