[SEL] Heat Treating Metal

[Judge Tommy Turner]

Some of you saw the Miami engine I had at Portland.  The governor is 
actuated by means of an angled catch that strikes the gas valve.  Since 
I had to make this, it was constructed out of cold rolled steel.  
However, it takes a beating and is showing wear after probably 40 hours 
of running.  I need to make this out of some type material that I can 
heat treat to make it really hard.  Do any of you know of a type of 
material that I can redily machine but then heat treat (on my own) to 
make it super tough?  I used to have some type material here that was 
about 1/8 by one inch.  You could bore it, mill it, etc. and then heat 
it cherry red, quench it in oil and you couldn't touch it with a file.  
I don't know what the composition was however.  Anyone have any tips for 
me as to what I could use?

Tommy Turner
Magnolia, KY