Turning stainless into carbon steel?

[Galemys]

Hi all,

I have a stainless steel ring-like device that was used by the Dutch post services to cut string. It looks like a broad ring with a clawlike appendix with a cutting edge on the inner side
here are some pictures of it:

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t258/galemys/?action=view&current=P1010276.jpg
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t258/galemys/?action=view&current=P1010280.jpg

Because I like the design I would like to use it as a traditional firesteel in combination with flint but being stainless steel this won't work as it is.

Is there a simple way of turning this stainless steel into carbon steel (and then hardening it) without the need for a qualified blacksmith? Can I just throw it on the barbecue and cover it with charcoal for a few hours and hope some of the charcoal will penetrate?
Or do I need some kind of nuclear fusion-like temperatures to achieve this?

Your thoughts please,

Tom

 

[spamel]

You would need to have it made in carbon steel. It has the carbon content at a molecular level so you can't just add it afterwards unfortunately. But then you will preserve the original and have a copy in carbon steel that you can use and abuse!

 

[Timinwales]

Hi Tom
My understanding of the difference between stainless and other steels is that a 'stainless steel' has a higher chromium content (10.5% minimum but typically about 13%). I'm not sure of how you would go about removing what is essentially a major constituent of the steel.
As to the hardening element of your question the tempreture at which the metals grain will start to be effected will depend upon its constituents and the hardening process itself can be ahieved by quenching, the faster you cool it the harder it is (general rule of thumb). You should be aware though that the harder the material more often than not the more brittle it will be. While tempering will reduce brittleness, it might be an idea to have a duplicate made in carbon steel.
Another possibility might be to get some carbon steel bar and have a crack at making the duplicate yourself?
Cheers Tim

 

[Carcajou Garou]

You can always try it as it is presently, not all Stainless Steel types are of best quality and they do have some carbon content in them, the best SS have lesser percentage and are magnetic, that an easy way of testing them out. But there is no simple way other than reproducing the device in a high carbon steel, as already suggested.
SS is a different % alloy (blend) of minerals than regular steel be it low,medium or high carbon.

 

[Tadpole]

It is possible to coat stainless steel with a layer of cabonised steel (newish process invented by a company called Swagelok Co, here is, according to them, how they do it " normally carbon diffusion into steel is blocked by the Cr2O3 surface layer that forms naturally on the stainless steel surface. In the LTCSS (low-temperature colossal supersaturation ) process, the Cr2O3 surface layer is removed to "activate" the surface for carburization, by placing the steel in an atmosphere of carbon-assisted gaseous HCl. "The final result is an alloy containing more than 12 at.% carbon in the region close to the surface.

Not something you could attempt at home

 

[Galemys]

Thank´s all,

I will try to bribe the blacksmith at the next Dutch Bushcraftweekend in making something similar in carbon steel.

Tom

 

[fishfish]

i used one of those some time ago as a butcher! used to use it when rollong joints to cut the string! never realised where they were originally from!
would be a piece of cake to make one out of carbon steel!