The principles governing the standard range of normalized steels are well established, namely improved uniformity of properties compared with steels which finish rolling at random temperatures, and the use of low carbon fine grain steels where needed to meet requirements for ease of welding, strength, and notch toughness. This paper therefore, looks at the prospects of extending the range of notch toughness guarantees at low temperatures (below — 50 °G); the achievement of resistance to lamellar tearing where stresses are applied perpendicular to plate surfaces; and the response of steels to stress relieving procedures. In practice, steels exist to meet these situations, but the ability to predict their behaviour and to understand all the physical metallurgy involved, is incomplete and warrants further study as an aid towards avoiding unforeseen problems in production or service.