Source for low grade bolts

[aesmith]

Hi,

I have a couple of pieces of equipment that use what looks like an ordinary bolt as a shear pin to protect their mechanisms. Any suggestions for a source of some sort of commodity bolts that would be significantly softer and weaker than the standard 8.8 grade that is most readily available. On US forums I see they normally suggest "Grade 2", not sure what that equates to in the UK.

Low price would be good, as these are consumable items.

Thanks, Tony S

 

[KenGMac]

aesmith, good evening.

This may??? assist???

Technical Catalogue - Bolt Supply House
https://www.boltsupply.com/uploads/docs/bolt-supply-technical-catalogue.pdf

 

[aesmith]

Thanks, I also found this cross-reference. So Grade 2 is our 4.6, and US Grade 5 is our old friend 8.8.

 

[JohnD]

cheap Chinese stainless bolts are often surprisingly soft and weak, and should not be used, for example, on brake or steering components, as it is deliberately made cheap and poor quality.

I happened to read in a recent metals report that 1kg of nickel per tonne doubles the strength of steel (IIRC), and that Chinese steel producers use less than half as much nickel as European producers.

(This was in a Mining sector forecast that demand for Nickel and some other alloying metals would increase as China, the biggest steel producer, moves up the quality/price curve)