Building a Steady Rest for my South Bend lathe

[IAMSatisfied]

They are mild steel although I suspect the best material should be based on what material I turn in the lathe. I'm guessing a harder material might be a better choice. Some have suggested brass but I think harder is better.

When I look at what's available for replacement steady rest fingers/followers, I find that brass is common, as well as steel rests with bearings. I believe the rule of thumb is you want your solid rests (or at least the tips thereof) to be the sacrificial parts to preserve the surface of your work, and if you can also have that sacrificial material be self lubricating, such as oil impregnated sintered bronze, then all the merrier. I would think graphite bar stock might work as well, but it may be too brittle?