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Just read a gunsmithing manual from 1918 that said they used to case harden with bone meal and leather scraps
I was digging through some old books at a shop in Springfield and found a worn-out manual. It was talking about case hardening small parts like hammers and triggers. The book said they'd pack the parts in a steel box with powdered bone and bits of old leather, then heat it in a forge for hours. I always thought that was just an old wives' tale or something they did way back, but this was a proper military guide. It got me thinking about how we just grab a bottle of commercial compound now and call it a day. The old way must have been a real pain to get consistent, but it clearly worked. Has anyone here ever tried a traditional bone char method, or know how it compares to modern stuff for color?
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reese1776mo ago
The old methods gave a tougher case and way better colors than modern powders.
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nathanbennett5mo ago
Hold on, reese177, are we talking about a huge difference or just a little bit better? I get that the old stuff might have some charm, but "way better" feels like a stretch. Modern powders have come a long way. It's not like the new stuff just falls apart. Maybe the colors were more unique back then, but tougher too? I have a hard time buying that it's a night and day thing.
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schmidt.grant6mo ago
Wait, they were tougher too?
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