Quenched and tempered free-cutting steels have a higher carbon content than other free-cutting steels, while maintaining a good machinability thanks to the presence of sulfur in smaller quantities. This type of steel can be prepared with the quenching and tempering before drawing or peeling so as to be able to heat-treat the pieces after machining. When quenched and tempered, these steels have elevated mechanical characteristics and can also be used for parts that require greater resistance and toughness than those of steels without heat treatment.
