Metal FDM Filament

High Carbon Iron Filamet™ — 1.75 mm, 0.5 kg

Print real ferromagnetic iron parts on the FDM printer you already own. After kiln firing, your print becomes 75–80% pure high-carbon iron — the foundation of Damascus blade work, transformer cores and any application that needs ferrous metal.

75–80% Iron Ferromagnetic Damascus Steel Transformer Cores High Carbon Content
The Virtual Foundry High Carbon Iron Filamet 1.75mm 0.5kg spool

Real ferromagnetic iron, printed on a desktop FDM printer

High Carbon Iron Filamet™ is the most ferrous-loaded material in the TVF range — 75–80% iron by weight after sintering, with elevated carbon content that lends itself to Damascus-style bladesmithing and any work where the part needs to be magnetic. Sintered parts behave like wrought iron: they pick up a magnet, hold a hardened edge, and forge-weld cleanly with other ferrous stock.

For bladesmiths this is a genuine creative tool: print the layered patterning you want, sinter, then forge into a finished Damascus blade. For engineers it’s an FDM route to electromagnetic cores, magnetic actuator hardware and ferrous prototypes that simply was not possible before. The carbon content also pushes hardness higher than mild-iron filaments after sintering.

Why high-carbon iron matters. Carbon content is what separates wrought iron from steel. High Carbon Iron Filamet™ gives you a starting billet rich enough in carbon to harden, temper or be combined with low-carbon stock for Damascus pattern-welding — from a printed FDM part.

How it works — the 4-step process

1

Print

Print on any FDM printer with a 0.8 mm hardened steel nozzle (1.0 mm ideal). High Carbon Iron is dense — a Filawarmer is required.

2

Pack

Nest the green part in refractory ballast inside an alumina crucible. Ballast supports the part as the binder burns out.

3

Sinter

Fire to ~1200°C in the FireX kiln. The part densifies into a true ferrous metal billet ready for forge-work or magnetic use.

4

Finish

Brush off ballast, forge, machine, harden, etch or polish. Expect ~16–20% linear shrinkage — design for it by scaling up ~120–125% in your slicer.

Why high carbon iron

Genuinely ferromagnetic

Sintered parts respond strongly to magnets. Use it to print electromagnetic cores, transformer laminate prototypes and magnetic actuator components.

Damascus steel ready

High carbon content makes this filament a natural fit for bladesmiths printing layered Damascus billets — print the pattern you want, then forge.

Hardenable

Carbon content allows traditional heat-treat hardening and tempering of finished parts — behaves like the high-carbon stock blacksmiths know.

Forge-weldable

Sintered parts can be hammer-welded to other ferrous stock at forge temperatures — ideal for layered, hybrid and pattern-welded work.

Etch-pattern friendly

High carbon content gives strong contrast under traditional ferric-chloride etching — essential for revealing Damascus pattern after polishing.

USA-made, fully supported

Manufactured in South Central Wisconsin by The Virtual Foundry. Direct technical support from the team that makes the material.

Printing tips

  • Use a 1.0 mm nozzle if your printer accepts it — faster, more reliable
  • Direct drive extruder strongly preferred
  • Filawarmer is required, not optional, for high-iron filament
  • Scale models up 120–125% to compensate for sinter shrinkage

Common applications

  • Damascus steel knives, blades and art pieces
  • Electromagnetic cores and transformer laminates
  • Magnetic assemblies and actuator hardware
  • Bladesmith printed billets for forge-welding
  • Ferrous prototypes for hardness testing
  • Decorative wrought-iron-style art and hardware

Specifications

Specification Details
Final metal content (post-sinter) 75.0–80.0% high-carbon iron
Filament density 2.90–3.85 g/cc
Diameter 1.75 mm (±0.05 mm)
Spool weight 0.5 kg
Sintering temperature ~1200°C (steel range)
Required nozzle 0.8 mm hardened steel (1.0 mm ideal)
Linear shrinkage (post-sinter) ~16–20% in all dimensions
Hygroscopicity Less hygroscopic than PLA — do NOT dry
Origin Made in South Central Wisconsin, USA

Inside the spool

Full High Carbon Iron Filamet 1.75mm spool
High Carbon Iron Filamet™ spool
High Carbon Iron pellets
Iron-loaded pellets — the raw material

Frequently asked questions

Why does this filament need a 0.8 mm or 1.0 mm nozzle?

High carbon iron is loaded heavily and the iron particles are larger than in some other Filamets. A 0.6 mm nozzle restricts flow and increases jam risk; 0.8 mm is the minimum, and 1.0 mm gives the most reliable, snap-free printing experience.

Can I really make Damascus blades from this?

Yes. Bladesmiths use sintered High Carbon Iron Filamet™ as a print-to-pattern starting billet — either etched directly to reveal Damascus pattern after sintering, or forge-welded with low-carbon stock for layered work.

Is the sintered part magnetic?

Yes. Sintered parts behave like ferrous metal — they are strongly attracted to magnets and conduct magnetic flux. This is what makes the material useful for transformer cores, electromagnetic actuators and magnetic assembly hardware.

What kiln do I need?

Sintering is in the steel range, around 1200°C. The TVF FireX is built for exactly this temperature window and includes the firing schedules needed for High Carbon Iron.

Can I heat-treat or harden the sintered part?

Yes. The carbon content is high enough to support traditional quench-and-temper hardening cycles — the sintered part behaves like high-carbon stock under standard heat-treat workflows. Test on a coupon before committing to a finished blade.

What else you’ll need

TVF FireX Sintering Kiln

Required for sintering iron at ~1200°C. Includes the firing schedule for High Carbon Iron.

Filawarmer

Required for High Carbon Iron Filamet™. Reduces snap risk and keeps dense filament feeding cleanly.

Made in South Central Wisconsin, USA. World-class technical support provided for all TVF products.

(TVF-FILAMET-HCI-175)

SKU TVF-FILAMET-HCI-175
Brand The Virtual Foundry
Shipping Width 0.220m
Shipping Height 0.080m
Shipping Length 0.220m

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