S1 steel

[Larrin]

I've never paid much attention to S1 because I've always read that it wasn't capable of much more than 58 Rc, but recently I have learned that 60 Rc is possible with a good heat treatment. This steel has pretty good wear resistance for a super tough forgeable alloy. Anyone have any experience with it?

 

[hardheart]

how tight is the composition, HT guide says it's available in a 'variety', and the hardness vs austenizing temp chart has a ~6 point spread at 1750-1850 amongst 5 samples (4 oil, 1 water quenched) only one had silicon, and two were missing vanadium.

 

[mete]

I don't know what's available but my old tool steel book lists three types ,320, 321, 322 each with a slightly different chemistries but all listed as S-1.I don't know who makes it.

 

[Larrin]

It is true that there are several versions of it. I would rather have the higher carbon (.6%), but there is also some alloy variation with the different steels too. I know Latrobe makes it, and 1.2550 is somewhat common in Europe.