HOMOGENIZING it is long-term heating in 1000 – 1200 oC in order to homogenize chemical composition and remove or reduce microsegregation and lamellar structure. Homogenizing is applied to billets before plastic working and to castings.

Coal ( C ) it is a steel component crucial for mechanical properties. The more coal is in the steel the higher is its tensile strength, yield point, and hardness, while impact resistance, elongation, and contraction are reduced. Higher content of coal decreases weldability but improves hardenability. In tool steels, and particularly in high-speed steels the content of coal must exceed 1 % because only with this percentage the alloy additives (vanadium; tungsten; cobalt) will be used in a correct way. The existence of more than 0.03 % of coal in stainless and acid-resistant steels makes those steels more susceptible to intercrystalline corrosion.