What is Carbon Steel?

Carbon steel is a type of steel with carbon content from about 0.05% up to 3.8% by weight, typically between 0.12% and 2%. Most steels with more than 2.5% carbon content are made using powder metallurgy.

The high carbon content has a significant influence on the characteristics of steel, especially the strength and hardness, which makes high-carbon steel a great material for making knives, swords, and bladed weapons. Carbon steel in the broad sense refers to steel that is not stainless steel, so it may include alloy steels.

The statement of carbon steel definition from AISI including:

– No minimum content is required for chromium, cobalt, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, or any other element to be added to obtain a desired alloying effect;

– The specified minimum for copper does not exceed 0.40% or the maximum content specified for any of the following elements does not exceed the percentages noted: manganese 1.65 %; silicon 0.60 %; copper 0.60 %.