high carbon steel

[schaf]

Hi,
Do tools made from high carbon steel hold a sharp edge for very long.
I know very little (if anything) about metal and would like to know if high carbon steel chisels are worth buying.
Regards
Terry

[Clinton1]

High Carbon Steels are ideal for chisels. Steel is iron with carbon added.

The carbon is how hardening is achieved, which means the chisel will stay sharp longer.
Too little carbon = Wrought Iron, too much = Cast Iron.
Wrought iron is too soft and cannot be hardened, Cast iron is too brittle and would break.

Typically you might find that the steel is a carbon + other metals alloy, allowing different material characteristics to be introduced. For example - Silver steel has a high carbon content as well as chromium, manganese and silicon. Silver steel is a good material for cutting edge tools.
The high carbon steel you are referring to should be between 0.7 - 0.9% carbon content. Incidentally this is the same material used in springs, so if you get some leaf spring out of a truck, thats the same stuff.

Each chisel maker probably has some arcane mix for their chisels, just look for a reputable brand.
Buy well,

[derekcohen]

If you are thinking steel for chisels and planes blades, then HCS is good (there are harder alloys, such as A2, but everything is a trade off between edge-holding and ease of sharpening). For lathe tools think HSS (high speed steel).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Schtoo]

Another thing to consider is who is saying they are 'high carbon steel', and what else in there as Clinton and Derek mentioned.

I can buy a chisel for a dollar here, and on the back it says (in Japanese text) high carbon steel. Coming form China, and being dangerously cheap, I can't say the steel is going to be a premium steel, but it does take an edge, and after a little additional heat treating holds it for a goodly time. As long as I don't pound on it at least.

If it's a reputable brand, then the steel should be of good quality, and heat treated correctly to give a good compromise of edge holding, edge toughness (resistant to chipping, bending) and sharpenability. Too much of any of the above compromises the others, which is why a good balance is sought.

Poor quality tools will lean toward one 'good' trait, to the detriment of the others simply because it's easier and cheaper to do a poor job than to do it properly.

Having said all that, you usually have to look pretty hard or be unlucky to find a poor chisel that is priced as a quality tool.

[schaf]

to clinton1,derek and schtoo. thanks for the advive.
this tool is not very expensive so I think I will go ahead and purchase it and see what the result is.
thanks Terry