Abstract: A soft magnetic low-carbon steel has a chemical composition having a C content of 0.05% by mass or below, Si content of 0.1% or below, a Mn content in the range of 0.10 to 0.50% by mass, a P content of 0.030% by mass or below, a S content in the range of 0.010 to 0.15% by mass, an Al content of 0.01% by mass or below, a N content of 0.005% by mass or below, and an 0 content of 0.02% by mass or below. In the soft magnetic low-carbon steel, Mn/S mass ratio is 3.0 or above, ferrite grain size is 100 ?m or above, ferrite grains contain precipitated MnS grains of grain sizes of 0.2 ?m or above in a density in the density range of 0.02 to 0.5 grains/?2m and the precipitated MnS grains have a mean grain size in the range of 0.05 to 4 ?m. The soft magnetic low-carbon steel is excellent in cold-rollability and machinability. Steel parts of the soft magnetic low-carbon steel having complicated shapes can be produced at a high yield.

Abstract: A soft magnetic low-carbon steel has a chemical composition having a C content of 0.05% by mass or below, Si content of 0.1% or below, a Mn content in the range of 0.10 to 0.50% by mass, a P content of 0.030% by mass or below, a S content in the range of 0.010 to 0.15% by mass, an Al content of 0.01% by mass or below, a N content of 0.005% by mass or below, and an 0 content of 0.02% by mass or below. In the soft magnetic low-carbon steel, Mn/S mass ratio is 3.0 or above, ferrite grain size is 100 ?m or above, ferrite grains contain precipitated MnS grains of grain sizes of 0.2 ?m or above in a density in the density range of 0.02 to 0.5 grains/?2m and the precipitated MnS grains have a mean grain size in the range of 0.05 to 4 ?m. The soft magnetic low-carbon steel is excellent in cold-rollability and machinability. Steel parts of the soft magnetic low-carbon steel having complicated shapes can be produced at a high yield.

Abstract: A wire rod steel superior in straightness, after being subjected to cold drawing. This wire rod steel comprises: C: 0.15 mass % or less (not including 0 mass %), Si: 0.05 mass % or less (including 0 mass %), Mn: 0.3-2 mass %, P: 0.2 mass % or less (including 0 mass %), S: 0.08-0.5 mass %, Al: 0.05 mass % or less (including 0 mass %), N: 0.01 mass % or less (not including 0 mass %), inevitable impurities and Fe as the balance. Its ferrite grain size number of the wire rod steel is No. 11 or less according to ISO 643.

Abstract: A machine structure steel superior in chip disposability and mechanical properties which contains sulfide-type inclusions such that those particles of sulfide-type inclusions with major axes not shorter than 5 &mgr;m have an average aspect ratio not larger than 5.2 and which also contains coarse particles of sulfide-type inclusions such that the relation a/b≦0.25 is satisfied, where a denotes the number of particles of sulfide-type inclusions with major axes not shorter than 20 &mgr;m, and b denotes the number of particles of sulfide-type inclusions with major axes not shorter than 5 &mgr;m. The machine structure steel exhibits good chip disposability and mechanical properties despite its freedom from lead.

Abstract: Free machining steel for use in machine structures capable of stably and reliably providing excellent machinability (chip disposability and tool life) and mechanical characteristics (transverse direction toughness) comparable, in a Pb free state, with existent Pb-added steels the machining steel being manufactured so as to contain 0.0005 to 0.02 mass % of Mg and provide a distribution index F1 for the sulfide particles defined by the following equation (1) of 0.4 to 0.65 or a distribution index for the sulfide particles defined by the following equation (2) of 1 to 2.5: F1=X1/(A/n)½  (1), or F2=&sgr;F/X2  (2) as described in the specification.

Abstract: Free machining steel for use in machine structures capable of stably and reliably providing excellent machinability (chip disposability and tool life) and mechanical characteristics (transverse direction toughness) comparable, in a Pb free state, with existent Pb-added steels the machining steel being manufactured so as to contain 0.0005 to 0.02 mass % of Mg and provide a distribution index F1 for the sulfide particles defined by the following equation (1) of 0.4 to 0.65 or a distribution index for the sulfide particles defined by the following equation (2) of 1 to 2.

Abstract: A machine structure steel superior in chip disposability and mechanical properties which contains sulfide-type inclusions such that those particles of sulfide-type inclusions with major axes not shorter than 5 &mgr;m have an average aspect ratio not larger than 5.2 and which also contains coarse particles of sulfide-type inclusions such that the following relation is satisfied.

Abstract: A steel wire is composed mainly of fine pearlite and/or coarse pearlite, where the lamellar cementite in the pearlite is amorphous or amorphous-like. Alternatively, the wire may be composed mainly of bainite, where the cementite in the bainite is amorphous or amorphous-like. To manufacture the steel wire, a starting steel product is subjected repeatedly to patenting and cold drawing, and then subjected to final drawing at a true strain of 2.0 or above while cooling. The steel wire is higher in strength and toughness than wire whose lamellar cementite consists of nano crystals. The steel wire does not suffer any delamination when subjected to torsion.

Abstract: A high strength steel strand for PC of a wire material having a pearlite structure and containing 0.80 to 1.30% of C, 0.60 to 2.50% of Si and 0.30 to 1.50% of Mn, remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities, wherein a cementite portion of the wire material comprises a mixed structure of fibrous cementite and granular cementite, the volumetric proportion of the granular cementite to the total cementite is 10 to 40%, the particle diameter of the granular cementite is 40 to 300.ANG., and the strand has a tensile strength of 235 kgf/mm.sup.2 or higher and an elongation of 3.5% or greater.