HSS Tooling Blanks

[Phil SParticipant @phils66830]

I have inherited a quantity of Osborn branded 1/4″ and 3/8″ square section HSS blanks marked SOBV or perhaps SO BV.  Does anyone recall what grade this might be ?….Likely to be 40+ years old so web searches have not helped.

Thanks

[Richard BParticipant @richardb44403]

Found this may help.

 

 

An English cutting alloy sold by Samuel Osborn & Co Ltd under the name SOBV (or S.O.B.V) cutting alloy contained high percentages of chromium, cobalt, tungsten, and iron with some vanadium and molybdenum and is more accurately described as a super HSS.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Grok says Osborn developed HSS from the original Mushet tool steel.  SOBV dates from between 1910 and 1930 and grok suggests it’s equivalent to M42.

Dave

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