shear steeln.

1815 J. Smith Panorama Sci. & Art I. 13 The steel which contains the smallest proportion of carbon, as, for example, shear steel, is the most easily welded.

1837 L. Hebert Engin. & Mech. Encycl. I. 788 Shear Steel.—This name was given to a steel that was first made by Crowley, of Newcastle, about sixty years ago... Crowley..stamped his production with the figure of a pair of shears, to indicate its suitable application... Various qualities of shear steel are made, distinguished by the terms half-shear, single-shear, and double-shear, according to the number of times it has been cut, piled, welded, and drawn out.

1857 J. Scoffern et al. Useful Metals & their Alloys 345 Bar-steel from the converting-furnace is made into single shear-steel and double shear-steel, which will differ in quality and value with the quality of the bar-steel from which it is made, and the judgment and care of the person who selects the steel. This name was given to it because it was the kind used for the blades of shears, formerly employed for cropping woollen cloths. Single shear-steel is distinguished by a single representation of a pair of those shears, and double shear by two.

1861 W. Fairbairn Iron 175 Double Shear Steel is single shear steel a second time cut up, piled, heated, and tilted.

1884 C. G. W. Lock Workshop Receipts 3rd Ser. 293/2 Round the part which is to form the bearing a thick ring of shear-steel must be welded.