Tool Hard vise jaws?

[David]

Saw this in an email from Travers:
Hard vise jaws from 1018 steel? That doesn't make sense to me.

 

[thestelster]

Saw this in an email from Travers:
Hard vise jaws from 1018 steel? That doesn't make sense to me.
View attachment 34519

Case hardened?

 

[David]

Case hardened?

Would have to be for any kind or durability.

 

[thestelster]

I'm surprised they would use 1018. Even if case hardened, the core is dead soft, so if you tried to clamp a small part in the vise, and use excess pressure, you might dent the surface. Case hardened parts are great for sliding parts for wear resistance. But a better steel that needs to be cased is 8620, or 9310.

Snap Jaws use 4140 heat treated to 32Rc.

 

[David]

I wrote to Kurt and asked about material used for that specific jaw set.

 

[David]

 

[thestelster]

That's a pretty deep case depth.

 

[David]

That's a pretty deep case depth.

That's what I thought too. They must have one heck of a good low-cost process for doing it this way vs using a hardenable steel.

 

[whydontu]

The fact that you got a clear concise response from Kurt in a couple of hours is impressive. There’s a reason why good tools cost money.

 

[Susquatch]

It's difficult for me to believe they are case hardened to almost 50 thou. But if we take them at their word, go for it!

 

[David]

It's difficult for me to believe they are case hardened to almost 50 thou. But if we take them at their word, go for it!

It’s almost twice as deep as I could find in any case hardening references.

 

[DPittman]

It’s almost twice as deep as I could find in any case hardening references.

Yes it is but I still wonder if that would be hard enough with for jaws being that it is 1018.

 

[Tom Kitta]

According to ChatGPT using traditional methods this would be very hard to do. They need a longer process / use different compounds.

 

[Chipper5783]

I have 3 Kurts (and just ordered another on the same sale that DavidR8 referenced), whatever the jaws are made out of, they are pretty hard and tough. The first Kurt I got the jaws were in tough shape, I gave them a little lick on the surface grinder - they are still hard. My vote is that Kurt knows what they are doing.