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?

3 comments

3 Comments

reese1771mo ago

The old methods gave a tougher case and way better colors than modern powders.

nathanbennett1d 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.

schmidt.grant1mo ago

Wait, they were tougher too?