Steel T10A
GB T10A · JIS SK105
T10A is a water-hardening carbon tool steel with roughly 1.0 % C (equivalent to SK105), supplied annealed, hot-rolled, normalised or cold-drawn and heat treated to 45–50, 54–56, 58–60 or 62–64 HRC.
Reference datasheet — T10A 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 Annealed condition
T10A tempers and conditions
T10A is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. Annealed 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault as-supplied soft condition | Standard stocked condition for bar, plate and strip: soft, machinable and ready for the user's own hardening. | 400 | 700 | 22 | 187 HB | 47 W/m·K |
Hot rolled | Cheapest mill condition; harder and less machinable than annealed, usually annealed by the user before machining. | 480 | 850 | 12 | 25 HRC | 9.5 % IACS |
Normalized | Used to break up carbide networks and refine grain before spheroidizing or hardening. | 560 | 1,000 | 10 | 30 HRC | 9.2 % IACS |
Cold drawn | Precision bar, drill rod and strip with tight size and good surface; slightly work-hardened, still hardenable. | 620 | 800 | 10 | 21 HRC | 9.5 % IACS |
Quenched + tempered 400–450 °C | Tough, shock-resistant setting for springs, cold chisels and tool shanks where edge holding is secondary. | 1,400 | 1,600 | 5 | 48 HRC | — |
Quenched + tempered 300–350 °C | Chosen where some impact loading exists (chisels, shear blades) at the cost of wear resistance. | 1,550 | 1,850 | 2 | 55 HRC | 8.6 % IACS |
Quenched + tempered 200–250 °C | Common working hardness for punches, simple dies and woodworking blades — slightly tougher than fully hard. | 2,000 | 1 | 59 HRC | — | |
Water/brine quenched 760–790 °C + tempered 150–180 °C | Maximum hardness and wear resistance for files, scrapers, hand-cutting tools; very brittle, thin sections only. | 2,200 | 0.5 | 63 HRC | 42 W/m·K |
What is T10A?
T10A is a water-hardening carbon tool steel with roughly 1.0 % C (equivalent to SK105), supplied annealed, hot-rolled, normalised or cold-drawn and heat treated to 45–50, 54–56, 58–60 or 62–64 HRC. Annealed stock runs about 400 MPa yield, 700 MPa tensile, 22 % elongation and 187 HB, with thermal conductivity near 47 W/m·K, and it is chosen for low-cost hand tools and simple dies that need a hard wearing edge. Hardenability is shallow, toughness is low and there is no corrosion resistance, with service limited to about 300 °C; an oil-hardening grade such as O1 is the usual step up when distortion or depth of hardening matters. T10A has a density of 7.81 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), lighter than 84% of steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F). T10A has a yield strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — weaker than 60% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 22% and the elastic modulus is 207 GPa (30 Msi).
What is T10A used for?
- hand chisels
- punches
- woodworking tools
- simple cold forming dies
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 70/100, better than 87% of steel grades
- High electrical conductivity — 9.5 % IACS, better than 75% of steel grades
Limitations
- Difficult to weld — 15/100, worse than 91% of steel grades
- Limited service temperature — 300°C (572 °F), worse than 78% of steel grades
T10A properties
Typical room-temperature values for T10A-Annealed; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
T10A has a density of 7.81 g/cm³ (0.282 lb/in³), lighter than 84% of steel grades. It melts at 1,400°C (2,552 °F).
Mechanical15
T10A has a yield strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — weaker than 60% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 22% and the elastic modulus is 207 GPa (30 Msi).
Thermal6
T10A is rated for continuous service to 300°C (572 °F). It conducts heat at 47 W/m·K (27.2 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 75% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 11.5 µm/m·K (6.39 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
T10A conducts electricity at 9.5 % IACS, better than 75% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (10/100), worse than 86% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of T10A takes about 30 MJ of energy and emits 2.3 kg of CO₂ — more than 56% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 30%.
Manufacturability7
T10A's machinability is good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades); weldability poor (15/100); formability fair (40/100).
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. T10A is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with T10A
Is T10A easy to machine?
Machine only in the spheroidize-annealed state (~187 HB, ~65 % of AISI 1212); after hardening only grinding or EDM is practical.
Can T10A be welded?
Essentially unweldable for tool duty — high carbon causes hard, cracking-prone HAZ; if unavoidable preheat 250–300 °C and post-weld anneal immediately.
Can T10A be formed, bent or molded?
Annealed strip bends and blanks acceptably with generous radii; hot forge 1050–850 °C then slow cool/anneal, never forge below 800 °C.
T10A 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 |
|---|---|---|
| C | 0.95 – 1.04 | 1 |
| Si | ≤ 0.35 | 0.25 |
| Mn | ≤ 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Phigh-grade 'A' limit per GB/T 1298 | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Shigh-grade 'A' limit per GB/T 1298 | ≤ 0.02 | |
| Crresidual | ≤ 0.25 | |
| Niresidual | ≤ 0.2 | |
| Curesidual | ≤ 0.25 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on T10A?
Takes a fine polish when hardened; protect with oil, black oxide, phosphating, nitriding or hard chrome, as bare surfaces rust quickly.
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 T10A in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- JIS
- SK105
- Also called
- T10
How much does T10A cost?
T10A 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.
T10A — frequently asked
What is T10A used for?
T10A is typically used for hand chisels, punches, woodworking tools and simple cold forming dies. In short: lowest-cost hardenable tool steel; water-hardening, shallow case; tougher than T12A.
What is the yield strength of T10A?
T10A has a typical yield strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) and a tensile strength of 700 MPa (102 ksi) — weaker than 60% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is T10A easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades). Machine only in the spheroidize-annealed state (~187 HB, ~65 % of AISI 1212); after hardening only grinding or EDM is practical.
Can T10A be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (15/100). Essentially unweldable for tool duty — high carbon causes hard, cracking-prone HAZ; if unavoidable preheat 250–300 °C and post-weld anneal immediately.
What surface finishes work on T10A?
Takes a fine polish when hardened; protect with oil, black oxide, phosphating, nitriding or hard chrome, as bare surfaces rust quickly.
Can T10A be formed, bent or molded?
Annealed strip bends and blanks acceptably with generous radii; hot forge 1050–850 °C then slow cool/anneal, never forge below 800 °C.
What is the maximum service temperature of T10A?
T10A is rated for continuous use to about 300°C (572 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between T10A Annealed and T10A-CD?
Annealed is the default condition — standard stocked condition for bar, plate and strip: soft, machinable and ready for the user's own hardening. CD: precision bar, drill rod and strip with tight size and good surface; slightly work-hardened, still hardenable. Yield strength is 400 MPa in Annealed versus 620 MPa in CD.
How much does T10A cost?
T10A 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
- GB/T 1298 Carbon Tool Steels — Technical Requirements — SAC (China) (2008)
- JIS G 4401 Carbon Tool Steels (SK105/SK3) — JISC (2009)
- ASTM A686 / AISI W1 Water-Hardening Tool Steel — ASTM (2016)
- ASM Handbook Vol.1 — Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Tool Steels, 5th ed. — ASM International (1998)
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.