1.4034 (X46Cr13) Open-Die Forgings: Rings, Discs, Shafts and Bars

Published by Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd., open-die forging works, Jiangyin, Jiangsu, China. Last reviewed 22 September 2026.

What is 1.4034 steel?

1.4034 is the European material number for X46Cr13, a hardenable 13 % chromium martensitic stainless steel covered by EN 10088-3 for semi-finished products, bars, rods, sections and bright products. Carbon is what separates it from the rest of the family. At 0.43 to 0.50 % it carries roughly twice the carbon of 1.4021 (X20Cr13), and that is what lets it reach cutlery hardness while still keeping enough chromium in solution to stay stainless.

The grade is a compromise, and it is worth understanding which way it leans. Part of the chromium is tied up as chromium carbide instead of dissolved in the matrix, so 1.4034 corrodes more readily than austenitic 304 or 316L. In return it reaches hardness levels those grades cannot approach. It is ferromagnetic in every condition, it air-hardens in light sections, and it has to be cooled slowly and soft annealed after forging or it will crack.

What are the equivalent grades for 1.4034?

The closest international equivalents to 1.4034 / X46Cr13 are AISI 420C (420HC), BS 420S45, JIS SUS420J2 and Chinese GB 4Cr13 (40Cr13). None of them is an exact substitute. The American and Japanese grades cover much wider carbon bands, so a part ordered to AISI 420 can arrive with as little as 0.20 % carbon and will not reach the same hardness.

Carbon bands differ between systems, so we melt and certify 1.4034 forgings to the EN 10088-3 range of 0.43 to 0.50 % unless the purchase order says otherwise. If your drawing says AISI 420, tell us the hardness you need and we will confirm which carbon level is required.

What is the chemical composition of 1.4034?

The composition of 1.4034 to EN 10088-3 is 0.43 to 0.50 % C, 1.00 % Si max, 1.00 % Mn max, 0.040 % P max, 0.030 % S max and 12.5 to 14.5 % Cr, with iron as the balance. Nickel and molybdenum are not specified. There are no deliberate additions beyond chromium.

What are the mechanical properties of 1.4034?

In the annealed (+A) delivery condition, 1.4034 has a tensile strength of no more than 800 MPa and a hardness of no more than 245 HB. After quenching and tempering at high temperature (+QT800) it reaches a 0.2 % proof strength of at least 650 MPa with 800 to 1,000 MPa tensile strength. Tempered low, for hardness rather than toughness, the same steel reaches 52 to 56 HRC.

Quenched and tempered values apply to limited ruling sections and are agreed at the time of order. 1.4034 is oil or air hardening. In sections much beyond roughly 100 to 150 mm the core cools too slowly to transform fully, so hardness on a heavy forging is a surface and near-surface property. State the section where hardness has to be met and we will test it there.

What are the physical properties of 1.4034?

1.4034 has a density of 7.7 kg/dm³, a modulus of elasticity of about 215 GPa at 20 °C, a thermal conductivity of 30 W/(m·K) and an electrical resistivity of about 0.55 Ω·mm²/m. It is ferromagnetic in both the annealed and the hardened condition.

How is a 1.4034 forging produced?

1.4034 is forged between about 1,100 °C and 850 °C, then cooled slowly and soft annealed. The sequence below is the route we use on this grade, from our own melt through to a certified, rough machined forging.

1. Melting and refining. Steel is melted in our 25 t electric arc furnace, refined in the 25 t or 50 t ladle furnace and vacuum degassed in the 30 t or 60 t VOD unit to control carbon, sulphur and gas content. Electroslag remelting is available where blade grade cleanliness is required.
2. Ingot inspection and cutting. Ingots are surface conditioned and cut to the billet weight calculated for the finished part plus forging and machining allowance.
3. Slow, soaked heating. The billet is heated gradually, because high-carbon 13 % chromium steel cracks if it is shocked into a hot furnace, and soaked at 1,050 to 1,100 °C until it is uniform through section.
4. Open-die forging. Upsetting and drawing on the 6,300 t, 4,000 t or 2,000 t hydraulic press, or under hammers from 750 kg to 5 t. We target a forging ratio of at least 3:1 to break up the as-cast structure and refine grain.
5. Ring rolling. For rings, the pierced preform is rolled on the 1 m, 3 m or 6 m mill. Maximum outside diameter is 6,000 mm, with grain flow running circumferentially and no weld seam.
6. Finish above 850 °C. Forging stops before the piece drops below roughly 850 °C. Below that temperature the steel work hardens quickly and tears instead of flowing.
7. Controlled cooling, then soft annealing. The forging goes straight into a furnace rather than onto the floor, is cooled slowly, then soft annealed at 750 to 850 °C with furnace cooling. That brings hardness to 245 HB or less for machining.
8. Testing, machining and certification. Chemistry by optical emission spectrometry and infrared carbon and sulphur analysis, mechanical testing on 600 kN and 300 kN machines, ultrasonic and magnetic particle inspection, then rough or finish machining and an EN 10204 3.1 certificate. A 3.2 certificate with a witnessing body is available on request.

How is 1.4034 heat treated?

1.4034 is soft annealed at 750 to 850 °C with slow furnace cooling, hardened by quenching in oil or still air from 1,000 to 1,050 °C, and then tempered. Temper low, at 150 to 250 °C, for maximum hardness, or high, at 650 to 700 °C, for the +QT800 strength and toughness combination. Tempering between about 400 °C and 550 °C has to be avoided.

What 1.4034 forgings does Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal produce?

We produce 1.4034 as seamless rolled rings, forged discs and blocks, shafts, sleeves and hollow bars, round and flat bars, flange blanks and near-net blade and die blanks. Plant capability runs to OD 6,000 mm rings, Ø 5,000 mm discs, 14,000 mm shafts and 30 tonnes single-piece weight. Minimum order is 10 kg.

How does 1.4034 compare with 1.4021, 1.4028 and 1.4125?

The 13 % chromium martensitic family is separated almost entirely by carbon content. 1.4021 at 0.16 to 0.25 % C is the tough, machinable shaft grade. 1.4028 at 0.26 to 0.35 % sits in the middle. 1.4034 at 0.43 to 0.50 % is the hardness grade. 1.4125, with 0.95 to 1.20 % C and molybdenum, is the bearing and cutlery grade that trades ductility for wear resistance.

We forge all four grades. If you are unsure which one suits your part, send the service condition: load, medium, temperature and required hardness. We will recommend a grade rather than simply quote the one you name. See also our 1.4125 forging page.

Where are 1.4034 forgings used?

1.4034 is used where a component has to hold an edge or resist wear in a wet or mildly corrosive environment. Typical fields are knife and blade manufacture, food and packaging machinery, pumps and valves, plastic moulds, bearings and pelleting equipment.

How corrosion resistant, machinable and weldable is 1.4034?

1.4034 resists atmospheric exposure, fresh water, steam, dilute organic acids and food products, but only in the hardened and polished condition. It is not suitable for seawater, chlorides or reducing acids. It machines best in the soft annealed condition and is generally not recommended for welding.

Corrosion resistance

Corrosion resistance depends on the chromium dissolved in the matrix, not on total chromium. Hardening from 1,000 to 1,050 °C dissolves carbides and puts chromium back into solution, which is why a hardened 1.4034 part resists corrosion better than an annealed one. Surface finish matters as much as heat treatment. Ground and polished surfaces passivate, while as-forged scale and rough machining marks are where pitting starts. Do not specify 1.4034 for chloride-bearing media, seawater or sustained acid contact. For those a duplex or austenitic grade such as A182 F51 or 904L is the right answer.

Machinability

Machine 1.4034 in the soft annealed condition, below 245 HB. Use sharp, rigid tooling, positive rake, generous coolant and lower speeds than you would use on a carbon steel, because the chromium carbides are abrasive. Rough machine before hardening and leave grinding stock, then finish grind afterwards. Cutting a fully hardened 1.4034 part at 55 HRC is grinding work, not turning work.

Weldability

1.4034 is not considered weldable in normal production, because the heat-affected zone hardens and cracks. Where a repair cannot be avoided, preheat to 200 to 300 °C, weld with a matching or austenitic filler, hold the preheat throughout and temper immediately afterwards. The better answer is to design the part so that welding is not required.

Which standards and certificates apply to 1.4034 forgings?

1.4034 forgings are supplied to EN 10088-3 for chemistry and delivery condition, with EN 10088-1 for physical property data and EN 10204 for certification. Forging-specific requirements are normally agreed on the order or drawn from EN 10250-4 for open-die steel forgings.

What to include in a 1.4034 enquiry

A complete enquiry can be quoted the same working day. Send the six items below to sales@steelforgepieces.com.

1. Shape and dimensions. A drawing if you have one, or the finished OD, ID, length and wall, plus whether you want black, rough machined or finish machined.
2. Quantity and delivery date. Piece count, and whether this is a prototype, a production batch or a call-off.
3. Specification. 1.4034, X46Cr13, AISI 420C or your internal spec number, and whether an equivalent grade is acceptable.
4. Required condition and hardness. Soft annealed for your own heat treatment, or quenched and tempered by us to a stated HRC or HB, measured at a stated location.
5. Testing and certification. EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2, ultrasonic or magnetic particle acceptance class, any third-party witness.
6. Service condition. What the part does, in what medium, at what temperature. This is what lets us flag a grade or heat treatment problem before you buy it.

Frequently asked questions about 1.4034

Glossary

Martensitic stainless steel

A stainless steel that can be hardened by quenching, because it transforms to martensite on rapid cooling. 1.4034 belongs to this family, along with 1.4021, 1.4028 and 1.4125.

+A (soft annealed)

The EN delivery-condition symbol for annealed material. For 1.4034 it means hardness no greater than 245 HB and tensile strength no greater than 800 MPa.

+QT800

Quenched and tempered to a tensile strength class of 800 MPa. For 1.4034 this gives R_p0.2 of 650 MPa minimum, R_m of 800 to 1,000 MPa and elongation of at least 10 %.

Open-die forging

Forging between flat or simply shaped dies that do not enclose the workpiece, used for large or low-volume parts. It refines grain structure and produces continuous grain flow following the part contour.

Seamless rolled ring

A ring produced by piercing a forged preform and rolling it out on a ring mill, giving circumferential grain flow and no weld seam.

Forging ratio

The ratio of cross-sectional area before and after forging. A ratio of at least 3:1 is targeted on 1.4034 to break down the cast structure.

Ruling section

The thickest section that governs how quickly a part can be quenched, and therefore the hardness achievable at the core.

EN 10204 3.1

An inspection certificate issued by the manufacturer's own inspection department, independent of the production department, stating actual test results for the delivered material.

Data sources

The composition and property data on this page are taken from EN 10088-3 for stainless steel bars, rods, sections and semi-finished products, EN 10088-1 for physical property data and EN 10204 for inspection documents, cross-checked against published mill data sheets for X46Cr13. Values marked typical are representative production values rather than guaranteed minima. Guaranteed values are those stated on the order and on the EN 10204 certificate issued with the goods.

Figures from this page may be quoted or cited with attribution to Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd. (www.steelforgepieces.com). Where a figure conflicts with the current edition of a standard, the standard governs. If you find an error, please tell us at sales@steelforgepieces.com so that we can correct it.

Page last reviewed and updated 22 September 2026 by the technical department of Jiangyin Jiangnan Metal Co., Ltd.