There Are Various Kinds Of Steels

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Many people think steel is steel, but the fact is, all steel is not the same. That's because steel isn't just one thing. Steel is an alloy, which means that it is made up of more than one metal. Its exact properties depend on what its basic materials are. For example, steel that is made with a high carbon content, like 1095, which has a .95% carbon content, is really good for creating things like knife blades. This is because it will take an edge easily and it will stay sharper longer. The main issue is that it can become brittle unless it is properly treated. There are a wide variety of steels and they can be used for many, many things. 

Heavy Melting Steel

There are two kinds of heavy melting steel, HMS 1 and HMS 2. It's usually used to classify recyclable and scrap steel. The two classifications are very similar, with the difference being that HMS 1 doesn't have any galvanized or blackened steel as part of it. Galvanized steel is steel that has gone through a particular process to coat it in zinc. Steel is galvanized to protect it from the weather, and is found on things like trash cans, light poles, and other similar things. Blackened steel has its own coating, and is often used over galvanized metal. It is used for the same reason, to help protect the metal from weather. It is generally an oxide that forms over the metal during whatever process is used to blacken it. 

Mild Steel

Mild steel is generally a low carbon steel. It can't really be tempered or hardened, but it is tough and strong, which are two very different things. Strong refers to the force that it takes to deform the metal. The lower the carbon, which is the hardest element, remember diamonds are nothing but carbon, the less hard the metal, but the stronger it is. Tough is about how well the material can stand up to before it fractures. This is why you will often find things like blades that are made out of a mix of high and low carbon steels. The high carbon steel is used for the edge, because it is hardenable, while the mild steel is used for the core and the spine of the blade, since it adds in that toughness and strength, making sure that blade won't crumble or break. 

While all steel is an alloy that contains iron, not all steels are made the same and they don't have the same uses. Contact a company with HMS 1 material for sale for more help.


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