1018 / 1020
Everyday low-carbon bar. Identifiable solids can still be reuse stock after review when segregated and labeled.
Solids · Carbon & alloy · Solids only
Sell carbon and alloy steel drops and bar ends
We review carbon and alloy steel solids: 1018/1020, 1045, 4140/4140PH, 4340 and clear A36 plate cutoffs as bar ends, plate cutoffs, saw cutoffs, billets and hex or flat, kept by grade. A stamped 4140 bar end long enough to chuck is another shop's blank, so we review it as reusable stock after review, not as melt. We do not buy chips, turnings or swarf.
Which carbon / alloy steels we look at
Solids only, one grade per box: bar ends, plate cutoffs, saw cutoffs, billets, hex and flat. Chips, turnings and swarf are out. Tool steels (D2, A2, H13…) have a separate page. Stainless → sell stainless drops.
1045
Medium-carbon bar and plate cutoffs. Keep it apart from mild steel and from alloy grades.
4140 / 4140PH
Common chrome-moly alloy. Note pre-hard (PH) vs annealed if you know it. One grade per box, labeled.
4340
Higher-strength nickel-chrome-moly alloy. Same rule: stamped or cert-backed, kept separate from 4140.
A36 plate cutoffs
In scope when clearly plate (not mystery mixed). Square cutoffs with usable thickness review better than rusty mystery piles.
Similar low-alloy bar
Other stamped or cert-backed low-alloy bar ends when the grade is readable. Unmarked steel is reviewed with less certainty.
Why a stamped 4140 bar end is stock, not melt
A yard pays one ferrous price. A straight bar end long enough to chuck can be another shop's blank. Grade stamp, heat number, or a mill cert/packing slip lets the next machinist trust it. Unmarked steel gets reviewed with less certainty — see how to identify unmarked drops and how we value.
What helps a buyer trust it
- The grade stamp, inkjet print, or clear label on the piece.
- A mill cert, heat number or packing slip that names the grade. See how mill certs raise the offer.
- Pre-hard vs annealed / QT noted when known.
- Straight bar with a diameter you can measure, and square-cut plate drops.
Usually a recycler's job
- Short stubs and heavily machined skeletons.
- Welded fabrications and painted mystery cutoffs.
- Rusty unidentifiable piles with grades mixed together.
- Chips, turnings and swarf.
Keep grades and conditions apart
Mixed 1018 + 4140, or annealed mixed with pre-hard, looks like "mystery steel" and lands closer to scrap review. One grade per box or tote, label it, note pre-hard vs annealed / QT if known, and keep the cert or packing slip with it (why certs matter). Pull anything unmarked into its own "unknown" box. We do not invent hardness numbers, and a spark test is not a definitive grade ID.
Good lot vs bad lot
Good lot
- Straight bar with measurable diameter/length and clean saw cuts.
- Square plate drops with usable thickness.
- One grade per box, stamps visible, cert or packing slip included.
Bad lot
- Short stubs nobody can chuck.
- Heavily machined skeletons and welded fabrications.
- Painted mystery cutoffs or rusty unidentifiable piles.
- These usually belong at a normal recycler.
How to sell a carbon / alloy lot
1. Sort
One grade per box. Unmarked pieces go in their own box. Note pre-hard vs annealed if you know it.
2. Photograph
The whole lot with a tape measure in frame, then close-ups of grade stamps and the cert or packing slip. Rough piece count, sizes and weight help — see how to weigh and measure a drop.
3. Submit
Use the sell form with grade, a rough piece count, weight and your ZIP, or email buyers@machineshopscrap.com. Ownership certification is required.
4. Review & offer
A person reviews it and makes an offer. There's no posted price per pound. See how we value.
Reuse before melt
Remachinable carbon and alloy solids crushed for melt waste geometry another shop would otherwise buy new. We review them as reusable stock after review. We do not invent CO₂, diversion %, or green-cert claims.
Carbon & alloy FAQ
This page goes deeper than the carbon/alloy answer on solids. Other metals have their own pages: tool steel drops, stainless drops, aluminum plate drops, titanium drops, Inconel drops, Hastelloy and Monel drops and brass, bronze and copper drops.
Do you buy steel chips or turnings?
No. Solids only — bar ends, plate cutoffs, billets. Chips, turnings, and swarf are not accepted.
Do you buy 4140 and 4340 bar ends?
Yes, when segregated and labeled. Note pre-hard vs annealed if you know it. Offers after human review; we do not post a rate card.
Is 1018 worth sending, or only alloy steel?
Identifiable 1018/1045 solids can still be reuse stock after review. Mixed unlabeled racks usually land closer to scrap review — separate and mark them.
Is this the same as your tool steel page?
No. Tool steel (D2, A2, H13, O1, S7) has its own page at /sell-tool-steel-drops/. This page is carbon and low-alloy steels like 1018, 1045, 4140, 4340.
Do I need mill certs?
No, but certs, heat numbers, or clear stamps raise confidence and help the offer. Unmarked lots may go to ID hold or a lower review path — see /mill-certs-raise-offer/ and /identify-unmarked-drops/.