1049 is a wrought medium-carbon (carbon = 0.46-0.53%) non-alloy steel that is used in the normalized, cold worked, or quenched and tempered condition. 1049 may also be flame or induction hardened, nitrided, or nitrocarburized. This steel is widely used for moderately and highly stressed parts that require higher strength levels than can be achieved by the lower carbon grades, and where the expense of an alloy steel is not justified. Owing to its low hardenability, its use in the quench hardened and tempered condition is not recommended for large sizes, as the improvement in mechanical properties over the normalized condition is insufficient to justify the additional cost of heat treatment.