Definition
A steel alloy containing approximately 0.45% to 1.7% carbon by weight. The high carbon content allows the steel to be hardened and tempered through heat treatment, producing a material that is very hard and strong but also more brittle and less ductile than lower-carbon steels.
Plain English
Steel with a lot of carbon mixed into it. Adding more carbon makes the steel harder and stronger after heat treatment, but also more brittle, so it is used where toughness against wear matters more than flexibility.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance, metalworking, and materials discussions when identifying what kind of steel a part is made from and how it should be handled or repaired.
Derivation
Carbon comes from the Latin word for charcoal. That helps because carbon is the ingredient added to iron to make steel, and a higher carbon amount changes how hard and strong the steel can become.
Why Pilots Care
Choosing the correct steel grade affects part durability, fatigue life, and safety during repairs or replacements.
Intuition Check
High-carbon steel does not mean steel coated with carbon. It means carbon is mixed into the steel itself, changing the metal’s properties.
Example Sentence 1
The springs in the landing gear assembly are made of high-carbon steel so they can absorb landing loads without permanent deformation.
Example Sentence 2
High-carbon steel drill bits are kept in the shop for cutting through hardened aircraft fittings.