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Steel 1070 vs 1086

Steel · grade comparison

Steel 1070 and 1086 are both steel grades. 1086 is the stronger of the two: yield strength 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) against 385 MPa (55.8 ksi) for 1070, about 40% more; tensile strength follows at 930 MPa (135 ksi) vs 690 MPa (100 ksi). 1086 is harder — 269 HB against 201 HB for 1070 — which matters for wear surfaces and threads. 1086 runs hotter in service (400°C vs 300°C continuous). On the shop floor, 1086 sits in a lower cost tier (budget, $) than 1070 (standard, $$).

1086Choose it when strength drives the design, or when surface hardness matters.

1070 vs 1086: properties

10701086

Mechanical

Strength, stiffness, ductility and hardness at room temperature.

Tensile Strength (Ultimate)

690 MPa100 ksi
930 MPa135 ksi

Yield Strength (0.2% offset)

385 MPa55.8 ksi
540 MPa78.3 ksi

Elongation at Break

13%
12%

Reduction in Area

30%
20%

Shear Strength

450 MPa65.3 ksi
600 MPa87 ksi

Fatigue Strength (Endurance Limit)

320 MPa46.4 ksi
420 MPa60.9 ksi

Fracture Toughness (K_IC)

45 MPa·√m41 ksi·√in
40 MPa·√m36.4 ksi·√in

Charpy V-Notch Impact (RT)

12 J8.9 ft·lbf
10 J7.4 ft·lbf

Hardness, Brinell

201 HB
269 HB

Hardness, Rockwell B

93 HRB
—

Hardness, Vickers

211 HV
283 HV

Compressive Strength

—
560 MPa81.2 ksi

Hardness, Rockwell C

—
27 HRC

Same in both: Elastic (Young's) Modulus 205 GPa29.7 Msi · Shear Modulus 80 GPa11.6 Msi · Bulk Modulus 160 GPa23.2 Msi · Poisson's Ratio 0.29

Physical

Density and transition temperatures.

Melting Point (Solidus)

1,425°C2,597 °F
1,410°C2,570 °F

Liquidus Temperature

1,480°C2,696 °F
1,470°C2,678 °F

Same in both: Density 7.85 g/cm³0.28 lb/in³

Thermal

How each material carries heat and how hot it can run.

Thermal Conductivity

49 W/m·K28.3 BTU/hr·ft·°F
47 W/m·K27.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F

Specific Heat Capacity

470 J/kg·K0.11 BTU/lb·°F
475 J/kg·K0.11 BTU/lb·°F

Thermal Expansion (CTE, 20–100 °C)

11.5 µm/m·K6.4 µin/in·°F
11.4 µm/m·K6.3 µin/in·°F

Latent Heat of Fusion

250 J/g107 BTU/lb
247 J/g106 BTU/lb

Max Service Temperature (continuous)

300°C572 °F
400°C752 °F

Same in both: Min Service Temperature -20°C-4 °F

Electrical

Conductivity and insulation.

Electrical Conductivity

9 % IACS
9.6 % IACS

Electrical Resistivity

1.9×10⁻⁷ Ω·m7.48 µΩ·in
1.8×10⁻⁷ Ω·m7.09 µΩ·in

Chemical & Environmental

Corrosion and environmental resistance (0–100 scores).

Galvanic Potential (seawater, vs SCE)

-0.61 V
-0.6 V

Corrosion Resistance

9 / 100
10 / 100

Manufacturability

FabDigit workshop ratings (0–100 scores) — how each material behaves on the machine.

Machinability

45 / 100
38 / 100

Machinability Rating (AISI 1212 = 100 %)

55%
45%

Weldability

20 / 100
15 / 100

Formability (cold)

30 / 100
25 / 100

Brazeability / Solderability

45 / 100
60 / 100

Polishability

65 / 100
70 / 100

Sustainability

Primary-production footprint per kilogram.

Embodied Carbon (primary production)

2.1 kg CO₂/kg
1.9 kg CO₂/kg

Embodied Water

45 L/kg5.4 gal/lb
50 L/kg6 gal/lb

Typical Recycled Content

25%
30%

Same in both: Embodied Energy (primary production) 25 MJ/kg10,748 BTU/lb

Common Calculations

Ratios derived from the values above.

Specific Strength (UTS / density)

88 kN·m/kg
118 kN·m/kg

Modulus of Resilience

362 kJ/m³
711 kJ/m³

Thermal Diffusivity

13.3 mm²/s
12.6 mm²/s

Thermal Shock Resistance Index

14
19

Same in both: Specific Stiffness (E / density) 26.1 MN·m/kg

Strength versus weight

Yield strength against density for every steel grade in the FabDigit library; the compared grades are highlighted. Up and left is stronger for its weight.

2005001,0002,0007.588.5Density (g/cm³)Yield strength (MPa) — log scale10701086

Manufacturing and finishing

Capability10701086
CNC machiningYes—
Sheet metalYes—
Default conditionHR—
Relative cost$$ Standard$ Budget
Min. machined wall0.8 mm—
Best machined surfaceRa 1.6 µm—
AlCrNYes—
AlTiNYes—
Black OxideYes—
CVD Al2O3Yes—
CVD TiCNYes—
CVD TiNYes—
CerakoteYes—
Chrome PlatingYes—
CrNYes—
DLCYes—
E-CoatingYes—
HVOF CoatingYes—
Hot-Dip GalvanizingYes—
MoS2Yes—
Multilayer CVDYes—
Nickel PlatingYes—
PTFE CoatingYes—
PaintingYes—

They share 9 finishes: Copper Plating, Electroless Nickel (EN), Epoxy Coating, Gold Plating, Hard Chrome Plating, Manganese Phosphate, Plasma Spray, Silver Plating, Zinc Phosphate.

1070 vs 1086 — frequently asked

Is 1086 stronger than 1070?

Yes. 1086 has a typical yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) against 385 MPa (55.8 ksi) for 1070 — about 40% more. Tensile strength is 930 MPa (135 ksi) vs 690 MPa (100 ksi).

Which is cheaper, 1070 or 1086?

1086 is the lower-cost material: it sits in the budget tier ($) while 1070 is standard ($$). Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.

Which is easier to machine, 1070 or 1086?

1070, by a small margin. Both rate fair for machinability — 45/100 against 38/100 for 1086; for welding the order is 1070 first (poor, 20/100) then 1086 (poor, 15/100).

Ready to make it?

Upload a CAD file and FabDigit prices the part in 1070 and 1086 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.