Steel 1086
AISI/SAE 1086 · UNS G10860 · EN 1.1269
1086 is a high-carbon steel (~0.80–0.93 % C; UNS G10860, W.-Nr. 1.1269) comparable to 1084 but with tighter chemistry control for repeatable response to hardening.
Reference datasheet — 1086 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the HR condition
1086 tempers and conditions
1086 is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. HR is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 8 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | Softest, most machinable and most cold-formable condition; the standard delivery state for tool and spring blanks. | 380 | 655 | 24 | 192 HB | — |
HRDefault Hot rolled | Standard mill-supplied condition for bar and coil that will be spheroidized, machined or hardened by the user. | 540 | 930 | 12 | 27 HRC | — |
Normalized | Use to homogenize coarse as-rolled or forged structure and refine grain before hardening. | 560 | 1,010 | 11 | 31 HRC | — |
spheroidize annealed then cold drawn | Choose for close-tolerance bright bar that still machines and cold-heads reasonably before hardening. | 655 | 790 | 10 | 235 HB | 9.5 % IACS |
Cold drawn | General cold-finished bar with better surface and tolerance than hot rolled but higher residual stress. | 700 | 830 | 8 | 24 HRC | 9.6 % IACS |
Q&T 40–45 HRC | Tougher temper for shock-loaded wear parts where 50 HRC would chip. | 1,180 | 1,380 | 9 | 42 HRC | — |
Q&T 48–52 HRC | Spring/tool temper balancing high elastic limit with some toughness; typical for leaf springs and hand tools. | 1,450 | 1,700 | 6 | 50 HRC | — |
Q&T 58–62 HRC | Maximum hardness and edge retention for blades, files, scrapers and wear plates; very brittle, keep sections thin. | 1,700 | 2,100 | 2 | 60 HRC | — |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways 1086 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
BT-STRIP | Blue tempered spring steel strip | Supply form |
HD-WIRE | Hard drawn | Supply form |
OT-WIRE | OT | Supply form |
What is 1086?
1086 is a high-carbon steel (~0.80–0.93 % C; UNS G10860, W.-Nr. 1.1269) comparable to 1084 but with tighter chemistry control for repeatable response to hardening. It is stocked as hot-rolled, normalized, spheroidize-annealed, cold-drawn, hard-drawn and oil-tempered wire and blue-tempered strip, plus quench-and-tempered conditions from 42 to 60 HRC; the default condition gives 540 MPa yield, 930 MPa tensile, 12 % elongation and 269 HB (27 HRC) with service to about 400 °C. Weldability (15) and formability (25) are poor and the steel has no corrosion resistance. Use 1078 where slightly lower carbon and easier forming are acceptable. 1086 has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,410°C (2,570 °F). 1086 has a yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 930 MPa (135 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
What is 1086 used for?
- Springs
- Blades
- Wire products
- Cutting tools
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 1.9 kg CO₂/kg, better than 92% of steel grades
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 9.6 % IACS, better than 78% of steel grades
Limitations
- Low fracture toughness — 40 MPa·√m (36.4 ksi·√in), worse than 92% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 15/100, worse than 91% of steel grades
- Limited ductility — 12%, worse than 84% of steel grades
- Difficult to machine — 38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades
1086 properties
Typical room-temperature values for 1086-HR; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
1086 has a density of 7.85 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 56% of steel grades. It melts at 1,410°C (2,570 °F).
Mechanical16
1086 has a yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 930 MPa (135 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 12% and the elastic modulus is 205 GPa (29.7 Msi).
Thermal6
1086 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 47 W/m·K (27.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 75% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.4 µm/m·K (6.33 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
1086 conducts electricity at 9.6 % IACS, better than 78% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 1086 takes about 25 MJ of energy and emits 1.9 kg of CO₂ — less than 82% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
1086's machinability is fair (38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades); weldability poor (15/100); formability poor (25/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the steel family
Yield strength against density for every steel grade FabDigit runs. 1086 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 1086
Is 1086 easy to machine?
Machine in the spheroidize-annealed condition (≈65% of 1212); use rigid setups, sharp carbide or coated HSS and low-to-moderate speeds — hardened 1086 needs grinding or EDM.
Can 1086 be welded?
Poor weldability (CE ≈ 0.9): preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables, slow cooling and immediate stress-relief/temper, or avoid welding entirely.
Can 1086 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only in the annealed/spheroidized state with generous bend radii; hot work 1100→850 °C, then slow cool or normalize to avoid hard as-forged martensite.
1086 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| CSAE J403 / ASTM A29 | 0.8 – 0.93 | 0.86 |
| Mn | 0.3 – 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Pmax, bar products | ≤ 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Smax, bar products | ≤ 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Sitypical for killed steel; not always specified | 0.1 – 0.3 | 0.22 |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on 1086?
No natural corrosion resistance — specify oil, black oxide, phosphate, zinc or paint; grind and polish after hardening, and shot peen springs to boost fatigue life.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on steel parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Organic Coating
Black / Phosphate
Thermal Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Steel 1086 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- G10860
- EN / DIN / Werkstoff-Nr.
- 1.1269
- Similar grades
- 85
How much does 1086 cost?
1086 is a budget-cost steel ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
1086 — frequently asked
What is 1086 used for?
1086 is typically used for springs, blades, wire products and cutting tools. In short: tighter chemistry than 1084; hardens to 60 HRC; spring and blade grade.
What is the yield strength of 1086?
1086 has a typical yield strength of 540 MPa (78.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 930 MPa (135 ksi) — stronger than 70% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is 1086 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated fair (38/100, worse than 80% of steel grades). Machine in the spheroidize-annealed condition (≈65% of 1212); use rigid setups, sharp carbide or coated HSS and low-to-moderate speeds — hardened 1086 needs grinding or EDM.
Can 1086 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). Poor weldability (CE ≈ 0.9): preheat 250–350 °C, low-hydrogen consumables, slow cooling and immediate stress-relief/temper, or avoid welding entirely.
What surface finishes work on 1086?
No natural corrosion resistance — specify oil, black oxide, phosphate, zinc or paint; grind and polish after hardening, and shot peen springs to boost fatigue life.
Can 1086 be formed, bent or molded?
Cold form only in the annealed/spheroidized state with generous bend radii; hot work 1100→850 °C, then slow cool or normalize to avoid hard as-forged martensite.
What is the maximum service temperature of 1086?
1086 is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 1086-HR and 1086 A-SPH?
HR is the default condition — standard mill-supplied condition for bar and coil that will be spheroidized, machined or hardened by the user. A-SPH: softest, most machinable and most cold-formable condition; the standard delivery state for tool and spring blanks. Yield strength is 540 MPa in HR versus 380 MPa in A-SPH.
How much does 1086 cost?
1086 is a budget-cost steel ($), cheaper than about 90% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- SAE J403 — Chemical Compositions of SAE Carbon Steels — SAE International (2014)
- ASTM A29/A29M — Steel Bars, Carbon and Alloy, Hot-Wrought — ASTM (2020)
- ASTM A682/A684 — High-Carbon Cold-Rolled Spring Steel Strip — ASTM (2018)
- ASTM A227 / A229 — Hard-Drawn and Oil-Tempered Spring Wire — ASTM (2019)
- GB/T 699 — (85 grade) — SAC (2015)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol.4 — Heat Treating — ASM International (1991)
- Mysteel / SMM (2025)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.