Tool steel and drilling said tool steel.

[I'm getting on a bit]

why does it need to be hardened

Two similar soft metals rubbed together will score each other.

The part he is after is identical to a depth mic and as you know all working faces at least are hardened on measuring tools

 

[Johnseat]

I just thought tool steel would be spot on for what I need and tool sell also comes in handy sized lumps for lath tools.

 

[ronan]

I just thought tool steel would be spot on for what I need and tool sell also comes in handy sized lumps for lath tools.

That's high speed steel you mean ?

 

[Johnseat]

That's high speed steel you mean ?

You'll have to pardon my ignorance of tools steels and high speed steels ect...

 

[WorkshopChris]

You'll have to pardon my ignorance of tools steels and high speed steels ect...

If you are looking at HSS (High Speed Steel) as used for lathe tools the only realistic accurate way to put a hole through would be spark erosion.
And cutting a thread for your grub screw would be next to impossible.
You would be better off with GFS (Ground Flat Stock) unless this is going into a production environment you will be fine with this in its unhardened state.
To be perfectly honest in a home workshop regular mild steel would be ok.

 

[brightspark]

If you are looking at HSS (High Speed Steel) as used for lathe tools the only realistic accurate way to put a hole through would be spark erosion.
And cutting a thread for your grub screw would be next to impossible.
You would be better off with GFS (Ground Flat Stock) unless this is going into a production environment you will be fine with this in its unhardened state.
To be perfectly honest in a home workshop regular mild steel would be ok.

that's why I stated why does it need to be hardened .it doesn't its a bit over the top for the job its going to be doing

 

[Johnseat]

I'll have a look in Sheffield for some ground flat stock and have a go myself.

 

[Johnseat]

that's why I stated why does it need to be hardened .it doesn't its a bit over the top for the job its going to be doing

To be fair I haven't mentioned hardening, it's this place with it's too much information

 

[Rocketman]

You are going to end up buying a 500mm long piece of GFS = how they stock it. That's all fine if you are going to use it. Hence why I said you could order a piece of P20 for less at the correct size which is pre-hardened but not too hard to drill & tap.

 

[graffian]

There was a place in sheffield flogging toolsteel, they had a website with lists of the bit's
they had and every bit was priced. I can't find the site now, either they went bust or it's Phoenix Steel.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

either they went bust or it's Phoenix Steel.

Might be both, their 'Latest News' section on that website is dated Nov 2014.