"Snake belly technology" at its best! Using known steel samples you will be easily able to identify most steels in your workshop without any expensive equipment.

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Hi, I am Heather Harvey, ABS Mastersmith. Having so many different types of steel in my workshop I realized that even if I tried my best to mark each piece, I sometimes lost track of what was what. I learned to do basic spark testing and it has saved me a lot of time, effort and expense to identify my steels.


I keep a container with small offcuts of KNOWN steels to compare with new steels. Even steels that you buy from reputable dealers, that come with a certificate, are sometimes not what you thought it would be. Before putting all the effort into turning the steel into a work of art, check that it is the correct steel without having to send it to a laboratory.  For you "Junkyard Junkies" this is also a cost effective way of checking to see if your "find" is really a treasure or something to add to your scrap heap!