High carbon piano wire - corrosion resistance

kniferbro

kniferbro

Joined
Jan 22, 2011
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I make my own omega springs for my axis locks. I use piano wire to do so and most of the time it is listed as "high carbon piano wire"

Do yall think I will have a problem with corrosion since the wire is "high carbon"? Should I opt for a 300 series stainless spring wire instead? I guess what I am asking is if it's high carbon as in 1095 "high carbon" or more like 420HC "high carbon". Thanks!!
 
Most piano wire is 1095 steel. If you keep it oiled you should have no problem with corrosion.
300 series stainless makes terrible springs. It doesn't have enough carbon to harden properly and can only be work-hardened.
 
The description of 'high carbon' usually just applies to any steel with 0.4-0.5% or higher carbon content, especially when describing stainless steels like 420HC (which has ~0.5% carbon, BTW). Basically, it's just an indicator that the steel can be hardened or tempered fairly well, and won't necessarily imply anything about corrosion resistance.

The irony is, most 'regular' carbon steels, like 1095, often not specifically called 'high carbon' themselves (though they meet the definition), actually have higher carbon content than most of the so-named 'high-carbon' mainstream stainless steels like 420HC. The lack of corrosion resistance of 1095 and similar steels is due more to the lack of chromium in the alloy, or at least not enough of it to be 'stainless' (requires >12% chromium, more or less).

Don't know about the piano wire. But if it's not specifically described as stainless, it likely isn't. Corrosion shouldn't be an issue in enviroments for pianos anyway, I hope, so there shouldn't be much need for stainless there. :)


David
 
Bill DeShivs said:
Most piano wire is 1095 steel. If you keep it oiled you should have no problem with corrosion.
300 series stainless makes terrible springs. It doesn't have enough carbon to harden properly and can only be work-hardened.
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Thank you for your input! Good to know that it is most likely 1095. Now, since 300 series is bad for springs, do you know of spring wire that is corrosion resistant?
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
The description of 'high carbon' usually just applies to any steel with 0.4-0.5% or higher carbon content, especially when describing stainless steels like 420HC (which has ~0.5% carbon, BTW). Basically, it's just an indicator that the steel can be hardened or tempered fairly well, and won't necessarily imply anything about corrosion resistance.

The irony is, most 'regular' carbon steels, like 1095, often not specifically called 'high carbon' themselves (though they meet the definition), actually have higher carbon content than most of the so-named 'high-carbon' mainstream stainless steels like 420HC. The lack of corrosion resistance of 1095 and similar steels is due more to the lack of chromium in the alloy, or at least not enough of it to be 'stainless' (requires >12% chromium, more or less).

Don't know about the piano wire. But if it's not specifically described as stainless, it likely isn't. Corrosion shouldn't be an issue in enviroments for pianos anyway, I hope, so there shouldn't be much need for stainless there. :)


David
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Thanks for your reply David. You are right, not many corrosive piano-environments! :D
 
No, I don't. Just oil it.
I'm sure the 400 series stainless steels could be made into springs, but would require heat treatment that is outside most hobbyist's capability.
 
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