Tool steel for hammer screw

[Old and Reliable]

Originally Posted by Richard Flanders

I've had good luck turning things on a lathe from grade 8 Cat bolts. They are extremely tough. Caterpillar pad bolts are the toughest steel I've encountered. Don't know what kind of steel they are exactly but they are tough... I've never understood why the shank on a hammer screw was made so small. There's enough metal in the shaft for a larger screw.

--I've had similar experiences with Grade 8 bolts on John Deere and other quality made American products- my guess- as welding involves knowledge of parent and filler metals and some basics in metallurgy- for both ferrous and non-ferrous- Cobalt is the additional alloying element-to medium range carbon and also nickel, chromium and molybdenum most likely will be present- have you ever spark tested one of these bolts?