There is, of course, no silver in it, the term ‘silver steel’ is a traditional description. When the grade was first developed in the early 1900s the addition of chromium (which at the time was becoming increasingly popular as an alloying element in steel) gave the steel a bright ‘silver’ like finish. Tensile strength - The tensile strength of the silver steel will determine how easy the material is to forge and how robust the end product will be when it has been manipulated from the silver steel. Silver steel with a low tensile stress is designed to break when under extreme stress and being pulled.

Oil Hardened Silver Steel can be both machined and welded and is typically tough and durable. Typical applications include general woodworking and machining tools, knives, punches, and dies. Used to make a wide variety of industrial and domestic equipment, silver steel is a strong and versatile alloy. High in carbon content, with added chromium, it produces durable and strong tools. In the hands of a gifted machinist, intricate designs can be achieved for objects such as tools for engraving, as well as instrument, and model parts.

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Silver Steel is used to manufacture a multitude of tools used for working other materials. The specifications of the initial Silver Steel required will be determined by the final use of the product and can be broadly defined into the following three categories:

Silver steel is common tool steel that is supplied as a centerless ground round bar (with tolerances similar to that of drill bit). The name comes from the highly polished appearance of the rods; there is no silver in the alloy. BS - This is an abbreviation for British Standard, which shows that the product has been tested according to this standard and has been found safe An alloy made of carbon, chromium, manganese, phosphorous, silicon and sulphur, silver steel gets its name from the high shine finish of the metal. Annealed in production to allow for machining, silver steel bars are spheroid in appearance to allow for maximum hardening.

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Water Hardened Silver Steel is the most common type and is easily machinable due to the low alloy content. Silver Steel that has been water hardened is hard and durable but not suitable for welding, with typical applications including the manufacturing of hammers and files, machine parts, chisels, drills and razor blades. Used in the forging of tools, including shafts and axels, taps and drills, silver steel is regularly used in tool rooms and general engineering applications. Hardness - Silver steel in an annealed state usually has a lower hardness and is designed to be hardened once the tool has been forged.