The steel mills whether USA or Far East just don't make the steel the way it was made 50 years ago. It just doesn't happen. Unless it a custom order for the US Navy at taxpayers expense.
One day working at the Sun Ship yard in Chester, ( c. 1990 ) I found some nice angle iron in a scrap pile. I helped myself to a few odd lengths. A few weeks later, I needed a short piece. Using my Mapp/Oxy cutting set up on my service truck, sliced it up. This metal cut like butter, no slag, it had no rust even though it was outside for ever and welded nicely. Compared to the angle I had bought from a supply house in the same time frame, new supply house material, not even close in quality. Moral of story...you just can't find good quality steel off the shelf unless it is custom made & ordered. It rare these days.


