Abstract: In order to produce a microkilled steel suitable for free-run continuous casting for subsequent cold forming standardizing of the C - content to .ltoreq.0.05%, preferably .ltoreq.0.03%, Si - content to .ltoreq.0.05%, preferably 0.02-0.04%, and Al - content to .ltoreq.0.006% is proposed. For the equivalent carbon content a value .ltoreq.0.14%, preferably 0.10-0.12% is standardized using the correlationC.sub.eq =%C+1/7%Si+1/5%Mn+1/7%Cr+1/20%Ni+1/9%Cu+1/2% Mo+1/2% Vfor determining the equivalent carbon content. Preferably, the steel is refined in a bottom blowing or bottom rinsing converter and after standardizing the Si - content and/or Mn - content, oxygen activity a.sub.[o] is measured and standardized to 60-150 ppm by adding a corresponding amount of an additional deoxidant, particularly aluminum.