Hi Farid, I tried googling T-1 steel but had no luck. Can you give us some frame of reference for it? Thanks!
Info on T-1 Carbide High Speed Steel.
T-1 is classified as High Speed Steel and it was patented by Crucible Steel Co around 1910. T-1 Carbide steel was designed primarily to out cut M-2. Soon after it became so popular, in engineering and Tool manufacturing it was discovered that with it’s 18% (w) Tungsten and special heat treating developed by Taylor and White it actually not only have a tremendous red hardness capability but it actually out cut the M-2 steel by 30-35%.
The matrix of the alloy was 0.7% ( C ) carbon, 18% ( W ) Tungsten, 1.3% ( V ) Vanadium, 4% ( CR ) Chromium and 0.3% (NI) Niobium. The specification of the T-1 steel was standardised for 40 years.
During the World War II the serious shortage of raw material meant that in order to keep producing steel the manufacturers had to significantly lower the alloy contents of special steels. This decision was primarily to lower the percentage of Tungsten and Vanadium and later on Niobium in steels like the T-1. It must be said that the basic alloy design of T-1 has allowed other steels to be produced just by adding other alloys to it , Such as ( CO ) Cobalt, higher ( V ) Vanadium and higher percentage of Carbon.
The latest T-1 steel that is now being produced in Germany on state of the art equipment is an extremely high quality product. In comparison to other steels the T-1 is actually 10% heavier due to it’s extremely high contents of Tungsten (W).
The heat treating of the T-1 steel is no cheap or easy task in comparison to other lower spec Tungsten steels. Hardening takes place at around 2350F.
In short, the T-1 Carbide steel was designed to cut other steels and it did that for over 40 years before it became too expensive to produce in large quantities and was replaced largely by cheaper High Speed Steels. Taking in to consideration after heat treating, the 18% Tungsten Carbide in the matrix of the T-1 steel , well that’s impressive.
take care
