Surface Hardening

[zp3design]

Fellas,

I'm getting ready to reshape the the cocking ramp on a savage bolt by welding and reshaping.

Is there a home shop method of surface hardening I could use to harden the ramp for smooth action and good wear.

Thanks,
Bob

[Jim Stabe]

Fellas,

I'm getting ready to reshape the the cocking ramp on a savage bolt by welding and reshaping.

Is there a home shop method of surface hardening I could use to harden the ramp for smooth action and good wear.

Thanks,
Bob
Some use a product called Kasenit but I prefer to use an oxy-acetelene torch. First heat the part to cherry red with a neutral flame and hold at that temp for about a minute. Then turn off the oxygen and liberally coat the hot piece with acetelene soot. Turn the oxygen back on to a neutral flame and repeat the heating process and then soot again. After the third sooting and reheating rapidly quench in a large bucket of cold water swirling the part to prevent local heating of the water. You should end up with about 36 - 38 rc.

[Bob Ford]

You need to check what grade steel the Savage bolt is made from. If not mild steel the Kasenite treatment might make the bolt glass hard.

Bob

[zp3design]

Best I can tell so far is that the bolt tube is 1020 mild steel that is carbo-nitraded for surface hardness.

Bob