In the paper an indirect method (hybrid in comparison with the known PVD and CVD methods) of creation of transition metal carbide coatings on high carbon steel substrates is presented which suits well for practical applications. It is shown that the Ti layers deposited by means of electron beam evaporation are pure and those obtained by means of d.c. magnetron sputtering are contaminated by Fe, Cr and Ni atoms. The distribution of those elements after deposition is uniform throughout he layer. After annealing those impurities are pushed out of the interior of the Ti layers (which transform into TiC) to its surface. In the difference from former papers of one of the authors a different ruling factor for the phase transformations in the contaminated layers is deduced.