Free-cutting steels

Free-cutting steels are ideal where high degrees of machining are required as they increase machining speeds and reduce tool wear.

Lead is added to low carbon re-sulphurised steel to further enhance the free-machining performance. Tata Steel also provides a free-cutting steel without lead, that offers improved free machining performance. 

Free-cutting steels are included in EN10087 and GEMCUT is Narrow Strip's low carbon steel containing deliberate sulphur and lead additions.

Typical applications: Keys, contact boards and other parts requiring rapid metal removal.