Rehardening my frizzen

[rich pierce]

There’s more than one way to harden a frizzen, I generally just hit with a propane torch and dip it in Track’s Surface Hardening Compound, their instructions says to quench in water, I’ve tried both water and oil, the water works better with a propane torch, oil works better with an acetylene torch. Getting the frizzen too hot (where it is non magnetic, 1800-2000 F, bright orange to yellow glow) could cause cracks. Propane torches tend to only get steel up to 1300-1500 hot.

That will add a thin case less than 0.002” deep. It works, but not for long.

 

[Col. Batguano]

Some times frizzes that have been softened )like for engraving) can have the carbon driven out of the top layer. When that happens I take the face to a drum sander and try to get down through it

 

[LRB]

Check and see how a file cuts the face. If truly as hard as it should be, a file should just barely scratch it, if not at all. If the file easily cuts it, it needs to be re-hardened. If it is original as you believe, it may have been forged of soft or wrought iron, and pack hardened ( deeply case hardened), and the case is worn through.

 

[LRB]

FlinterNick said:
"There’s more than one way to harden a frizzen, I generally just hit with a propane torch and dip it in Track’s Surface Hardening Compound, their instructions says to quench in water, I’ve tried both water and oil, the water works better with a propane torch, oil works better with an acetylene torch. Getting the frizzen too hot (where it is non magnetic, 1800-2000 F, bright orange to yellow glow) could cause cracks. Propane torches tend to only get steel up to 1300-1500 hot."
Click to expand...
What Rich said is correct. The hardening will be shallow, and need to be re-done often. FYI, non-magnetic is a consistent 1414°f. If your steel is cracking when you quench at at non-magnetic, it is not the heat causing it. It would be the type of quenchant.

 

[FlinterNick]

FlinterNick said:
"There’s more than one way to harden a frizzen, I generally just hit with a propane torch and dip it in Track’s Surface Hardening Compound, their instructions says to quench in water, I’ve tried both water and oil, the water works better with a propane torch, oil works better with an acetylene torch. Getting the frizzen too hot (where it is non magnetic, 1800-2000 F, bright orange to yellow glow) could cause cracks. Propane torches tend to only get steel up to 1300-1500 hot."
Click to expand...
What Rich said is correct. The hardening will be shallow, and need to be re-done often. FYI, non-magnetic is a consistent 1414°f. If your steel is cracking when you quench at at non-magnetic, it is not the heat causing it. It would be the type of quenchant.

I was tempted to try a pack hardening method with bone charcoal. Saw a guy do it on YouTube. I just bought an oven with a burnout vent.

 

[Macman]

I have just learned a lot from this four year old post. Shows to go you that one can learn from old discussions.

 

[FlinterNick]

I have just learned a lot from this four year old post. Shows to go you that one can learn from old discussions.

Since this discuss, I’ve since changed up my methods.

I pack harden my frizzens in steel with a mixture of compound and charcoal from Peach Pitts, peach Pitts are high in natural cyanide. Temp at 1600, and then I draw back at 400 for 45 min.

I quench the pack in room temperature water.