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I Forge Iron

High hard steel from armor plate


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I am familiar with HSS -- high speed steel -- but I had never heard of HHS until now. Here are a couple data sheets.

http://www.alleghenytechnologies.com/defense/docs/081491%20ATI%20Def%20600-MIL%20Insert.pdf
http://www.alleghenytechnologies.com/defense/docs/081057%20ATI%20Def%20500-MIL%20HR.pdf

The ATI-600 ultra high hardness stuff looks interesting. It's like a lower carbon, higher nickel L6. Medium carbon, lots of chromium, a whole bunch of nickel, some moly and silicon. Should be really tough stuff. I'd guess it would air harden in thinner sections, just like L6 does.

The ATI-500 high hard armor steel is similar, but with carbon in the .22%-.32% range. That's not a lot, so the max hardness is probably limited. I bet it'd make great struck tools, though.Or you could use it as a bright layer in pattern welding.

Bottom line: I'd say keep some if they'll let you, regardless of which alloy you have. They'd both be worth playing with.

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I'm in the military and we have to adapt some sheilds to allow for barrels to fit through them.
This steel is HHS; is anyone familiar w/this type of steel ? is it air hardening?
Thanks in advance.

The best thing to do is get the specs on chemistry and recommended procedures for cutting and welding from the manufacturer....and then apply them.
I am not sure you would wish to do too much work (heat/weld) to a material designed for armor plating as it has been treated in a way to gain those properties...your secondary operation may reduce its usefulness to a lower grade of material....or worse

Ric.....former SGT US Army (I lifetime ago)
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