What is High Speed Steel?
High speed steel, or HSS, is a type of steel that is used in high speed applications, such as in things like drillbits and power saw blades. It is a replacement for carbon steel tools, specifically bits and blades, though both may still be used commonly. The development of high speed steel has a number of advantages over carbon and thus is considered a more popular choice for such applications. High speed steel works due to several very important factors. The first is the type of metals used. Together, they can provide a heat resistance that can keep the metal hard even under extreme temperatures. High temperature treatment further helps the steel remain hard under extremely high temperatures. High speed steel is an alloy that combines several metals. Combinations often included in high speed steel include: tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt and others. Tungsten is the most common type of steel currently used in high speed steel products. However, there are many different types and
