Identifying used steel is not easy. You can use a spark test to compare it with known samples of steel:
Wrought Iron
Wrought iron sparks flow out in straight lines. The tails of the sparks widen out near the end, similar to a leaf.[1][5]
Mild Steel
Mild steel sparks are similar to wrought iron's, except they will have tiny forks and their lengths will vary more. The sparks will be white in color.
Medium-carbon steel
This steel has more forking than mild steel and a wide variety of spark lengths, with more near the grinding wheel.
High-carbon steel
High-carbon steel has a bushy spark pattern (lots of forking) that starts at the grinding wheel. The sparks are not as bright as the medium-carbon steel ones.
Manganese steel
Manganese steel has medium length sparks that fork twice before ending.
High-speed steel
High-speed steel has a faint red spark that sparks at the tip.
300-series stainless steel
These sparks are not so dense as the carbon steel sparks, do not fork, and are orange to straw in color.
310-series stainless steel
These sparks are much shorter and thinner than the 300-series sparks. They are red to orange in color and do not fork.
400-series stainless steel
400-series sparks are similar to 300-series sparks, but are slightly longer and have forks at the ends of the sparks.
Cast iron
Cast iron has very short sparks that begin at the grinding wheel.
Nickel and cobalt high-temperature alloys
These sparks are thin and very short, they are dark-red in color, and do not fork.
Cemented carbide
Cemented carbide has sparks under 3 inches, which are dark-red in color and do not fork.
Titanium
Although titanium is a non-ferrous metal, it gives off a great deal of sparks. These sparks are easily distinguishable from ferrous metals, as they are a very brilliant, blinding, white color.
You can also try quenching in various ways to see if the sample can be hardened. Trial and error will show you whether the metal you have is useful or not.
The following list identifies what the steel could be, but due to the huge variety of steel there can be no guarentees.
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Agricultural Steel 1080 Axels 1040 Ball Bearing Balls 52100 Ball Bearing Races 52100 Band Saw Blades L6 Bits, Router M2 Bolts, Anchor 1040 Bolts, Heat Treated 2330 Bolts, Heavy Duty 4815 Brake Lever 1030 Cams A6, S7 Chisels O2, O6, L6 Clutch disk 1070 Clutch Springs 1060 Coil Springs, Auto 4063 Coil Springs, Truck 5160 Cold-Rolled Steel 1070 Connecting Rods 1040 Crankshafts 1045 |
Cutters, Bolt S2, S7 Drifts L6, S2, S7 Drills M2 End Mills M2 Fan Blades 1020 Files W2 Gear shift levers 1030 Gears, transmission 3115 Hammers L6 Harrow Disk 1080 Hay Rake Teeth 1095 Jackhammer Bits S5 Knives, machine M2 Leaf Springs 1085, 5160 Lock Washer 1060 Mauls L6, S2 Mover Knives 1085 Music Wire 1085 Nail Sets L6 |
Plow Beams 1070 Plow Disk 1080 Plow Shares 1080 Pneumatic Tools L6, A6, S7 Punches Cold A2, O2 Reamers M2, O2, A2 Roller Bearings 4815 Screw Drivers L6, S2 Snap Rings 1060 Spring Clips 1060 Spring steel, Clock 1095 Steering Arm Bolts 3130 Steering Arms 4042 Taps M2, O2 Transmission Shafts 4140 Tubing 1040 Universal Joints 1145 Valve Springs 1060 Wrenches L6, S2 |