Levin, P. N. How to Harden Tools (Kak zakalivat instrument), 1929. In Russian

Левин П. Н.
Как закаливать инструмент. / С 28 рис. в тексте. (Серия: Рабочая библиотека).
Москва : Государственное техническое издательство (Гостехиздат), 1929.
69 с. : ил., черт., граф. ; 17 × 13 см. Мягкая иллюстрированная конструктивистская обложка. Тираж 5100 экз.
***
Levin, P. N.
How to Harden Tools. / With 28 drawings in the text. (Series: Worker’s Library).
Moscow : State Technical Publishing House (Gostekhizdat), 1929.
69 pp. : ill., diagrams, charts ; 17 × 13 cm. Original softcover with constructivist design. Edition of 5,100 copies.

This 1929 technical manual is a striking artifact of the early Soviet industrialization era, specifically produced for the "Worker’s Library" series to educate a burgeoning labor force in advanced metallurgy. Written by P. N. Levin, the book provides a practical guide to the heat treatment and hardening of various industrial tools, a critical skill during the first Five-Year Plan. The text provides a deep dive into the internal logic of metalworking, including the arrangement of temperature regimes for carbon and high-speed steels, the chemistry of quenching baths, and the tempering processes necessary for durability. The 28 technical drawings, charts, and diagrams serve as essential instructional aids, translating complex metallurgical transformations into accessible knowledge for the factory floor.
Beyond its scientific merit, this edition is highly prized by collectors for its exceptional visual presentation. The 17 × 13 cm volume features a classic constructivist cover, a hallmark of the 1920s Soviet avant-garde, where typography and geometric forms are used to emphasize the "machine aesthetic" and the dignity of industrial labor. Published by Gostekhizdat in a limited run of 5,100 copies, this small-format booklet was designed to fit into the pocket of a worker's overalls, yet it reflects the high artistic standards applied even to utilitarian literature of the period. For bibliophiles and historians of technology, this 1929 manual is a definitive primary source that captures the intersection of revolutionary art and the urgent drive for technical self-sufficiency in the early USSR.