Whats up with "case coloring"
Is it just a cosmetic look or does it have a another practical purpose? been looking at some rifles lately and not sure what it is or if i even like it. Maybe someone can enlighten me on it? Thanx.
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Case hardening, which produced varied colors, was a heat process that involved packing the metal parts in certain substances and heating them to a high temperature. The result was a very hard surface that left a softer steel interior of the part. Some find it attractive. Gun makers in recent years have learned how to apply colors to the metal that simulates case hardening colors but is not durable and it's only purpose is appearance. I am sure others will follow with details and technical information about the process but you asked for "the time, not how the clock was made" so I hope this simple answer is helpful. 0 -
Compare the "case hardening" on a Colt SAA (real) and a Colt Cowboy (fake) and the difference will be obvious. 
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Color case harding known as "carburizing" is achieved by applying material under high temp that contains carbon in a attempt to harden up the steel outer surface. the color is not the desire but actually the result depending on the material used. Originally often seen on hand build sxs shotguns. The engraving on such guns takes place on the soft initial surface and then hardening follows. If the entire action was hard steel you could not engrave. Gun surface wears better and engraving wears better. There is so much fake stuff these days....like chrome plated plastic grill on your car. 0 -
OK- so the process is actually to enhance the structural integrity of the metals surface and not solely for the mottled coloring itself.Guess its an aquired taste, looks kind of funky to me. Thanks for the clarifications. 0 -
Case colors are due to lumps and irregularities in the charcoal in pack hardening and to aeration and impurities in the quench tank.
It is possible to case HARDEN without forming case COLORS. If you don't mind a gray surface color.0 -
A common product In shops that make gun parts is Kasenit & other products that do case hardening. Simple to use, you heat the part to red and cover it with the Kasenit powder. Small parts you just dunk in the can and the powder sticks to it. Keep it red hot for a minute or so and let the carbon 'cook' in. Then quench it in water. You will have a case hardened part, gray in color. I have sometimes got color probably due to oil or something else in/on the quench water. 0 -
rummy,
Yes, it does add something to the process of manufacturing, and the overall beauty of the firearm, when done correctly. If you want to see some real beauty look on here:
http://www.turnbullmfg.com/
This shop is currently one of the best in the world, if not the best, in case coloring. Although, his colors are a bit to brite, and vivid for most purists', when it comes to restorations.
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As mentioned, the process is also known as case HARDENING.
The case-hardening process itself takes a softer low-carbon steel, then hardens the surface by infusing additional carbon and nitrogen. The coloration is basically a side effect. . .though potentially a really nice one!
If you like, its a really "old school" version of the Glock "Tenifer" finish (also called "Melonite" by Smith and Wesson and Walter, and "Nitron" by SIG), which is a modern version of a carbonitrided finish.
Apart from the potentially attractive multi-colored finish, the process has the advantage of being able to create relatively low-cost parts with soft cores but hard (ie wear resistant) exteriors, which can be useful in some applications.0 -
i done some case hardening many years ago when i was a "practicing" gunsmith, i had a steel container that could be sealed air tight, i took old shoe leather cut/chopped in itty-bitty pieces and bone meal, put the part(s) in the container packed tightly then placed in my forge and fired up to near white hot and left there for a few hours, opened container, dumped all in a bucket of cold water, the frame of an old Colt SAA was beautifully colored and restored to original finish, fully assembled, that old Colt was appraised at 1974ad, $1,500.00 dollars.
one of my best ever jobs, done it for a customer/friend, i wish that old Colt was mine, i would bet that today that old Colt SAA would be worth $5,000.00 - $8,000.000 -
Case coloring provided strength (both tensile and elastic). But blued frames that are heat treated have proven to be much stronger than case hardened. 0
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