A process comprising: placing a boronizing powder composition in a metal pipe comprising a first end, a second end, an inside surface and an outside surface; heating the pipe to form a borided layer on the inside surface, and spent boronizing powder; removing the spent boronizing powder from the pipe, thereby forming an empty boronized pipe; heating the empty boronized pipe to above its austenitizing temperature, thereby forming an austenitized pipe; quenching the austenitized pipe, thereby forming a quenched pipe; tempering the quenched pipe, thereby forming a tempered pipe; and threading the tempered pipe.

A process comprising: placing a boronizing powder composition in a metal pipe comprising a first end, a second end, an inside surface and an outside surface; heating the pipe to form a borided layer on the inside surface, and spent boronizing powder; removing the spent boronizing powder from the pipe, thereby forming an empty boronized pipe; heating the empty boronized pipe to above its austenitizing temperature, thereby forming an austenitized pipe; quenching the austenitized pipe, thereby forming a quenched pipe; tempering the quenched pipe, thereby forming a tempered pipe; and threading the tempered pipe.

A process comprising: placing a boronizing powder composition in the interior of a metal pipe comprising a first end, a second end, an inside surface and an outside surface; heating the pipe in a vessel having an interior, to a temperature from 1400 F. to 1900 F., thereby forming spent boronizing reaction gases and a borided layer on the inside surface, wherein the vessel interior has an atmosphere that surrounds the outside surface of the metal pipe; and flowing the spent boronizing reaction gases into the atmosphere surrounding the outside surface of the pipe, thereby forming an oxygen-depleted atmosphere.

A process comprising: placing a boronizing powder composition in the interior of a metal pipe comprising a first end, a second end, an inside surface and an outside surface; heating the pipe in a vessel having an interior, to a temperature from 1400 F. to 1900 F., thereby forming spent boronizing reaction gases and a borided layer on the inside surface, wherein the vessel interior has an atmosphere that surrounds the outside surface of the metal pipe; and flowing the spent boronizing reaction gases into the atmosphere surrounding the outside surface of the pipe, thereby forming an oxygen-depleted atmosphere.

Chain element (2), particularly a chain pin (4) for joining at least two chain links (3), which element is formed from a base material (5) containing carbon, particularly steel, characterized in that it has a surface layer (7) containing boron and vanadium, wherein the surface layer (7) is produced by a method according to which, in a first method step, an intermediate layer (6) containing carbon and vanadium is formed by at least one measure for the diffusion of vanadium into surface regions close to the surface of the base material (5) and, in a subsequent second method step, the surface layer (7) is formed by the transformation of the intermediate layer (6) by at least one measure for the diffusion of boron into the intermediate layer (6).

A chain element (2), in particular a chain pin (4), for joining at least two chain links (3), characterized in that it comprises a surface layer (5) containing boron and vanadium, formed by at least one step of diffusing boron and vanadium in the areas of the chain element (2) which are close to the surface. The surface layer (5) containing boron and vanadium is formed by boriding and subsequently vanadizing a substrate material having a carbon content of 0.60 wt.-% to 1.0 wt.-%.

A hardened slip and a method of making the hardened slip are disclosed. A method of hard surfacing a slip component for a downhole tool is disclosed. The slip component may have a bearing surface and may be composed of a base material, the base material being metallic. The method may comprise steps of positioning at least the bearing surface of the slip component with a direct contact with a boron source; bonding an external layer at least on the bearing surface to form a metallurgical bond between boron from the boron source with the base material by boriding the base material; and maintaining a bulk temperature of the slip component below a melting point of the base material.

A hardened slip and a method of making the hardened slip are disclosed. A method of hard surfacing a slip component for a downhole tool is disclosed. The slip component may have a bearing surface and may be composed of a base material, the base material being metallic. The method may comprise steps of positioning at least the bearing surface of the slip component with a direct contact with a boron source; bonding an external layer at least on the bearing surface to form a metallurgical bond between boron from the boron source with the base material by boriding the base material; and maintaining a bulk temperature of the slip component below a melting point of the base material.

A hardened slip and a method of making the hardened slip are disclosed. A method of hard surfacing a slip component for a downhole tool is disclosed. The slip component may have a bearing surface and may be composed of a base material, the base material being metallic. The method may comprise steps of positioning at least the bearing surface of the slip component with a direct contact with a boron source; bonding an external layer at least on the bearing surface to form a metallurgical bond between boron from the boron source with the base material by boriding the base material; and maintaining a bulk temperature of the slip component below a melting point of the base material.

A hardened slip and a method of making the hardened slip are disclosed. A method of hard surfacing a slip component for a downhole tool is disclosed. The slip component may have a bearing surface and may be composed of a base material, the base material being metallic. The method may comprise steps of positioning at least the bearing surface of the slip component with a direct contact with a boron source; bonding an external layer at least on the bearing surface to form a metallurgical bond between boron from the boron source with the base material by boriding the base material; and maintaining a bulk temperature of the slip component below a melting point of the base material.