Which metal is ferrous, hard, tough and very brittle, used for cutting tools and chisels?

Which metal is ferrous, hard, tough and very brittle, used for cutting tools and chisels?

• A. Cast iron
• B. High Speed steel
• C. High Carbon Steel
• D. Mild steel

Answer: (C)

Understanding why a tool needs to be hard and able to hold a sharp edge helps here. Increasing carbon content in steel makes it harder and better at keeping a fine edge, which is exactly what chisels and cutting tools rely on. This ferrous metal can be hardened by heat treatment to achieve that balance of hardness and edge retention, making it a common choice for tools. Cast iron is known for being very brittle, so it isn’t suitable for cutting tools that need to resist chipping. Mild steel is too soft to maintain a sharp edge, so it wouldn’t be used for chisels. High-speed steel is a tougher, special alloy designed to stay hard at high temperatures, not just a simple high-carbon steel. So the option that best fits being ferrous, hard, and used for cutting tools and chisels is high carbon steel.

Understanding why a tool needs to be hard and able to hold a sharp edge helps here. Increasing carbon content in steel makes it harder and better at keeping a fine edge, which is exactly what chisels and cutting tools rely on. This ferrous metal can be hardened by heat treatment to achieve that balance of hardness and edge retention, making it a common choice for tools.

Cast iron is known for being very brittle, so it isn’t suitable for cutting tools that need to resist chipping. Mild steel is too soft to maintain a sharp edge, so it wouldn’t be used for chisels. High-speed steel is a tougher, special alloy designed to stay hard at high temperatures, not just a simple high-carbon steel. So the option that best fits being ferrous, hard, and used for cutting tools and chisels is high carbon steel.