C1006 Cold Heading Quality Steel Wire

C1006 is the lowest-carbon CHQ grade in common use, designed for applications requiring maximum formability and minimum work hardening. With carbon content held to 0.08% maximum, C1006 cold-heads with less force, deeper extrusions, and fewer intermediate annealing steps than higher-carbon grades.

It’s the right choice when the part geometry pushes the limits of cold forming — deeply recessed heads, thin sidewalls, multi-blow operations, or anything where cracking and die wear become limiting factors with standard 1018-class material.

Nevers and Company stocks C1006 in coil form from major US CHQ mills with A2LA-accredited labs. All material is USA melted and processed, with full mill certs on every coil. Same-day shipping from our Rockford, IL warehouse.

Chemistry (AISI / SAE 1006)

Element	Min	Max
Carbon (C)	—	0.08
Manganese (Mn)	0.25	0.40
Phosphorus (P)	—	0.040
Sulfur (S)	—	0.050

All values in weight percent. Heat analysis per AISI/SAE standards.

Typical Mechanical Properties (As-Drawn)

Property	Typical Value
Tensile strength	45,000 – 60,000 PSI
Yield strength	38,000 – 50,000 PSI
Reduction of area	70 – 80%
Elongation in 2 in.	25 – 35%

Properties vary with draft reduction. Spheroidize-annealed condition available for applications requiring maximum formability.

Common Applications

• Deep-extruded fasteners — recessed-drive screws, socket-cap geometries requiring multiple heading blows
• Thin-walled rivets — semi-tubular and tubular rivets where wall thickness approaches the limits of cold forming
• Stamped and drawn parts — brackets, cups, and components with significant draw depth
• Self-clinching fasteners — nuts, studs, and standoffs requiring controlled deformation during installation
• Electrical contact components — terminals and connectors where ductility matters more than strength

C1006 vs. C1008 vs. C1010

The three low-carbon CHQ grades are often interchanged by buyers without recognizing the differences:

• C1006 — Maximum formability. Choose when the part geometry is the limit.
• C1008 — Slightly higher carbon than C1006 (0.10% max). Closer in formability but slightly stronger. Stocked on mill order.
• C1010 — General-purpose low-carbon (0.08–0.13% C). Better strength than C1006 with adequate formability for most fasteners. The default if you don’t need C1006’s formability.

We can help you identify whether your application actually needs C1006 or whether C1010 will work — switching grades can meaningfully reduce material cost.

Available Sizes

Nevers stocks C1006 in diameters from 0.072” to 0.500” (1.83 mm – 12.70 mm). Common stocked sizes include:

• 0.098” – 0.187” for small precision parts
• 0.219” – 0.328” for medium fasteners
• 0.375” – 0.500” for heavier deep-formed parts

Custom sizes available on mill order.

Available Conditions

Nevers stocks C1006 in two spheroidize-annealed conditions, both with phosphate-and-lubricant (P&L) coating applied as standard for cold heading:

• SAFS (Spheroidized Annealed at Finish Size) — our default. Annealing is the final processing step before coating, producing the softest, most ductile condition with the lowest internal stress. Choose SAFS for severe upsetting, deep extrusion, and demanding cold-heading where maximum formability matters.

• SAIP (Spheroidized Annealed In Process) — adds $2/cwt over SAFS. Annealing is followed by a light final cold draw (6–9% reduction) that sets tighter dimensional tolerances and produces a bright drawn finish. Choose SAIP for high-speed automated headers where consistent diameter and smooth feed behavior matter more than maximum formability.

For severe deep-extrusion C1006 applications, SAFS is the better choice — the slightly softer condition reduces cracking on aggressive geometries. SAIP is appropriate when dimensional precision and bright finish matter more than maximum formability.

See Cold Heading Wire Finishes: SAFS vs SAIP for a detailed comparison.

For non-heading applications where annealing isn’t required, drawn-only C1006 is available on mill order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is C1006 used for? C1006 is the lowest-carbon CHQ steel wire, used primarily for parts requiring maximum formability — deeply extruded fasteners, thin-walled rivets, self-clinching nuts and studs, and drawn components where higher-carbon grades would crack.

Why choose C1006 over C1018? C1006 cold-heads with less force and supports deeper extrusions without cracking. It also work-hardens more slowly, which matters for multi-blow heading operations. The trade-off is lower as-headed strength — if your part doesn’t need extreme formability, C1018 is more cost-effective and stronger.

Is C1006 heat-treatable? Not in the traditional sense. C1006 has too little carbon for through-hardening or meaningful quench-and-temper response. It can be case-hardened (carburized) where surface hardness is needed with a soft core.

What’s the difference between C1006 and AISI 1005? 1005 is even lower in carbon (0.06% max) and manganese, used primarily in deep-drawing sheet applications. C1006 is the cold-heading-quality variant of the low-carbon family — same general chemistry range but produced to CHQ standards for wire applications.

Is C1006 stocked in USA-melted condition? Yes. Nevers stocks USA-melted, USA-processed C1006. Mill source and melt documentation accompanies every shipment.

What’s the difference between SAFS and SAIP? Both SAFS and SAIP are spheroidize-annealed conditions, meaning the steel’s carbide microstructure has been converted to a softer, more cold-formable form. SAFS (Spheroidized Annealed at Finish Size) is annealed as the last processing step, producing the softest, most ductile material — best for severe upsetting and deep cold-heading. SAIP (Spheroidized Annealed In Process) is annealed and then given a light final cold draw, producing tighter dimensional tolerances and a bright finish. SAIP costs $2/cwt more than SAFS at Nevers.