Carbon steel is the most commonly used steel in the world. When carbon is infused into steel, it transforms the properties of the steel, and how it should be used, based on the amount of carbon present in the steel. The lower the carbon content¨Clow-grade carbon steel¨Cis hard, but more malleable than higher grades of carbon steel. Higher carbon content makes it extremely hard and strong, but brittle. The medium grades of carbon steel are ideal for high wear applications such as oil rig parts, mining equipment, brushings, shafts, and gears.