Stainless Steel 420J1 Cold Drawn vs 420J1 Hardened & Tempered
Stainless Steel · 420J1 temper comparison
420J1 Cold Drawn and 420J1 Hardened & Tempered are two conditions of the same stainless steel grade, 420J1: Cold Drawn versus Hardened & Tempered (quenched and tempered). The chemistry is identical, so every difference below comes from the condition. 420J1 Hardened & Tempered is the stronger of the two: yield strength 1,350 MPa (196 ksi) against 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) for 420J1 Cold Drawn, about 118% more; tensile strength follows at 1,600 MPa (232 ksi) vs 830 MPa (120 ksi). In exchange, 420J1 Cold Drawn is the more ductile: elongation 12% versus 8% for 420J1 Hardened & Tempered, and 420J1 Hardened & Tempered is harder (470 HB vs 245 HB). On the shop floor, 420J1 Cold Drawn machines more easily (fair vs poor) and 420J1 Cold Drawn welds better (30 vs 20 out of 100).
420J1 Cold DrawnChoose it when the part is bent, formed or impact-loaded, or when the part is machined in volume.
420J1 Hardened & TemperedChoose it when strength drives the design.
420J1 Cold Drawn vs 420J1 Hardened & Tempered: propertiesHow to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all stainless steel grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
How to read these bars
- One bar per material. A full bar is the highest value among all stainless steel grades in the FabDigit library; each bar is drawn as a share of that.
- The better value (by the usual engineering direction) is in bold. Rows with no direction — density, thermal conductivity — have no bold.
- Values are typical room-temperature figures for the condition named on each card.
- Confirm against the certified mill or resin datasheet before design release.
420J1 Cold Drawn420J1 Hardened & Tempered
Mechanical
Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.
Tensile Strength (Ultimate)
Yield Strength (0.2% offset)
Elongation at Break
Reduction in Area
Shear Strength
Fatigue Strength (Endurance Limit)
Charpy V-Notch Impact (RT)
Hardness, Brinell
Hardness, Rockwell B
Hardness, Vickers
Same in both: Elastic (Young's) Modulus 200 GPa29 Msi · Shear Modulus 78 GPa11.3 Msi · Bulk Modulus 160 GPa23.2 Msi · Poisson's Ratio 0.29
Physical
Density and transition temperatures.
Same in both: Density 7.7 g/cm³0.28 lb/in³ · Melting Point (Solidus) 1,450°C2,642 °F · Liquidus Temperature 1,510°C2,750 °F
Thermal
How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.
Same in both: Thermal Conductivity 30 W/m·K17.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F · Specific Heat Capacity 460 J/kg·K0.11 BTU/lb·°F · Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C) 10.5 µm/m·K5.8 µin/in·°F · Latent Heat of Fusion 270 J/g116 BTU/lb · Max Service Temperature (continuous) 400°C752 °F · Min Service Temperature -30°C-22 °F
Electrical
Conductivity and insulation.
Same in both: Electrical Conductivity 3.1 % IACS · Electrical Resistivity 5.5×10⁻⁷ Ω·m21.7 µΩ·in
Chemical & Environmental
Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).
Corrosion Resistance
Same in both: Galvanic Potential (seawater, vs SCE) -0.25 V
Manufacturability
FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.
Machinability
Machinability Rating (AISI 1212 = 100 %)
Weldability
Formability (cold)
Polishability
Same in both: Castability 45 / 100 · Brazeability / Solderability 50 / 100
Sustainability
Primary-production footprint per kilogram.
Same in both: Embodied Energy (primary production) 42 MJ/kg18,057 BTU/lb · Embodied Carbon (primary production) 3 kg CO₂/kg · Embodied Water 100 L/kg12 gal/lb · Typical Recycled Content 55%
Strength versus weight
Yield strength against density for every stainless steel grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.
420J1 Cold Drawn vs 420J1 Hardened & Tempered — frequently asked
Is 420J1 Hardened & Tempered stronger than 420J1 Cold Drawn?
Yes. 420J1 Hardened & Tempered has a typical yield strength of 1,350 MPa (196 ksi) against 620 MPa (89.9 ksi) for 420J1 Cold Drawn — about 118% more. Tensile strength is 1,600 MPa (232 ksi) vs 830 MPa (120 ksi).
Which condition does FabDigit quote by default, Cold Drawn or Hardened & Tempered?
Annealed is the default 420J1 condition in the FabDigit quote flow (neither Cold Drawn nor Hardened & Tempered). The other condition is available on request or by drawing note — specify it in the material field or the part notes and the quote is priced for it.
Which is easier to machine, 420J1 Cold Drawn or 420J1 Hardened & Tempered?
420J1 Cold Drawn. Its machinability rates fair (52/100) against poor (22/100) for 420J1 Hardened & Tempered; for welding the order is 420J1 Cold Drawn first (poor, 30/100) then 420J1 Hardened & Tempered (poor, 20/100).
Ready to make it?
Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in 420J1 Cold Drawn and 420J1 Hardened & Tempered side by side — material, machining time, tolerance and finish in one quote. Certified material data ships with the order on request.
Typical handbook values for the conditions named above, normalised for comparison. Hardness on non-Brinell scales is converted approximately for charting only. Request certified data with your order for design-critical properties.