Testing Carbon steels

The only "magnetic" way that I can think about is test these steels for Ms temperature with magnetic pos/neg feedback device. It's not pretty common test and is used mostly in research (you have to have sample surrounded by magnetic coil "suspended" in furnace/"cooler" altogether with mentioned sample). IMHO the best way to solve the problem is to cut off pieces than heat both of the samples to ~1600 deg F, keep'em there for 1 hour, than straight from that temp. quench them in a water to room temp. Now, after all of that whichever of the samples look harder (scratch test of something, try to scratch one of the samples agains other) that is 1050.

Are the pieces all the same size and shape? If not, comparing magnetic properties could be a problem.

Testing Carbon steels Group: sci.materials Date: Sat, Aug 27, 2005, 9:27pm (EDT-3) From: snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (cynabar)

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You've probably already thought of this, but just in case.... _If_ you can afford to mar one surface of each piece, I think a 'spark test' on a bench grinder would differentiate 1010 from 1050. You might try a google search for the term if it's unfamiliar.

The test can be videoed, to keep the marred area very small, then the spark pattern anaysis done afterward from the video.

Jim, "Entropy never sleeps; do y'all?

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They manufacture a hand-held X-ray flourescence spectrometer that will accurately measure the composition of just about any alloy you can think of (Fe, Ni, Al, or Ti-based, to name a few), in about 5 seconds flat. Point the "gun" at the metal's surface, hit the trigger, and a few seconds later it tells you the composition, and AISI designation (if applicable) of the alloy. Buy, lease, or rent, depending on the quantity you need to sort.

My mistake; I thought they had improved their system since the last time I used one to include light elements.

There are "portable" spectrometers that will detect carbon. A sorting bridge might help if the parts are a simple shape (bar) and similar pieces of known chemistry are available. The best thing to do though if you do not have suitable equipment to hand, is probably to bin the material and start again.

Thanks Everyone who has provided these solutions.

Cheers Cynabar