1095 Steel
A high-carbon steel
Typical values for the temper in the title
1095 contains about 1% carbon, among the highest of the ordinary carbon steels. After hardening it reaches very high hardness, and is used for knives, flat springs, saws and simple cutting tools.
Its manganese is low (0.30–0.50%), so its hardenability is limited: it hardens well mainly in thin sections.
Mechanical and physical properties
| Property | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tensile strength Rm | 830–1050 MPa | |
| Yield strength Rp0.2 | 480–620 MPa | |
| Elongation A | 10% | |
| Hardness | 260–320 HB | |
| Modulus of elasticity E | 200 GPa | |
| Density ρ | 7.84 g/cm³ | |
| Machinability | 45% | relative rating in the site database |
Chemical composition (wt %)
| Element | Range | Role |
|---|---|---|
| C carbon | 0.90–1.03 | sets strength and hardenability |
| Mn manganese | 0.30–0.50 | strength and hardenability |
| P phosphorus | max 0.040 | |
| S sulfur | max 0.050 | |
| Fe iron | balance |
Ranges per SAE J403 and ASTM A29. P max 0.040, S max 0.050 (except free-machining grades). Equivalents in other standards are close in composition, not identical.
Conditions and heat treatment
The properties of carbon steel depend strongly on the condition and heat treatment. The values at the top of the page are for the typical condition.
| Condition | Properties | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Spheroidize annealed | relatively soft, for machining and forming | delivery condition for machining |
| Hardened and tempered | high hardness; higher temper for springs, lower for cutting edges | springs, blades, wear parts |
Applications
- Knives
- Flat springs
- Saws and blades
- Simple cutting tools
- Thin wear parts
Fabrication
Heat treatment
Quenched in oil or water and tempered to the target: springs with a relatively high temper, blades with a low one.
Machining
Difficult as rolled. Machine in the spheroidized condition.
Welding
Not suited to welding: the high carbon causes cracking.
Compared with similar materials
| Material | Rm / Rp0.2 | Welding | When it is the better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080 | 965 / 585 MPa | Difficult — Preheat 250C | slightly less carbon, tougher · material page |
| O1 | — / — | Not recommended | an oil-hardening tool steel, more stable in hardening · material page |
| 440C | 760–1900 / 450–1860 MPa | Not recommended | a hard stainless, corrosion resistant · material page |
Common mistakes
Welding high-carbon steel
The high carbon causes cracking. Join mechanically.
Leaving the part untempered after hardening
The part is very brittle and may crack. Temper immediately.
Choosing high-carbon steel for a thick part
Hardenability is limited. For thick parts, alloy steel.
Equivalents, standards and supply
| EN | C100S (close) |
|---|---|
| DIN | Ck101 |
| Standards | ASTM A29 / SAE J403 |
| Forms | strip · plate · rod |
| Producers | Ovako · Sandvik · TimkenSteel |
Learn more
Values are typical and for comparison only, and depend strongly on condition and diameter. For design, rely on the standard and on the mill certificate. Sources: SAE J403 and J404, ASTM A29, A322 and A519 (composition), producer data sheets, and the METAL HUB materials database.
Updated: October 31, 2026