Unknown steel

[Aljeter]

My brother is a crane operator and gave some track pins. The only thing I have able to find out about track pins for cranes is they are high carbon steel. Does anyone have any experience with them and know what metal they are. Or some tips on how to go about testing them. I am thinking about forging something with one and then try a quench in oil and see how well it hardens.  Any info or instruction on what to try is much appreciated.

[Rich Hale]

I have used some track pins from cat equipment for hammers. Those are not high carbon steel but have enough for wot I wanted.

There is a recent thread on spark testing on here,,,may be in heat treat threads.

[Chuck_Steak]

The track pins I have recently worked with were produced from 4340 and induction hardened. Spark test is probably your best initial method to get an idea. Heat treat to see if it will harden. Go to your local scrap dealer who has a handheld XRF and have them test it, or spend the $100.00 to have a metallurgical lab in your area test it. 

[Aljeter]

Thanks for the info. I will try a spark test on them sometime this week.

[forgemaster]

That sort of application is also often a case hardening steel too, not saying it may not be 4340 or some such other alloy, just we have made these sorts of pins before and we used case hardening alloy I think En36A or 4317. Also used 8620 on a few.

 

Phil