Exhibit 5.1

                           KIRKPATRICK & LOCKHART LLP
                            Henry W. Oliver Building
                              535 Smithfield Street
                         Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222


                                 April 23, 2002



Weirton Steel Corporation
Three Springs Drive
Weirton, West Virginia 26062

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We refer to the registration statement on Form S-4, Registration No.
333-72598 (the "Registration Statement"), filed by Weirton Steel Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), pursuant to
which the Company is registering (i) $134,200,000 aggregate principal amount of
its 10% Senior Secured Notes due 2008 (the "2008 Notes"), to be issued under an
Indenture (the "2008 Indenture") to be entered into between the Company and J.P.
Morgan Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (the "2008 Trustee"),
(ii) an aggregate of 2,196,000 shares of Series C Convertible Redeemable
Preferred Stock with an aggregate liquidation preference of $109,800,000 (the
"Series C Preferred Stock"), and (iii) shares of Common Stock, $.01 par value
per share (the "Common Stock"), which may be issued by the Company upon either
(a) the optional redemption of the Series C Preferred Stock by the Company prior
to April 1, 2013 or (b) the optional conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock
by the Company prior to April 1, 2006 in certain limited circumstances. Pursuant
to the Registration Statement, the Company is offering to issue the 2008 Notes
and Series C Preferred Stock in exchange for all of the Company's outstanding
11-3/8% Senior Notes due 2004 and 10-3/4% Senior Notes due 2005 (the "Exchange
Offer") and is soliciting consents to amend provisions of the indentures
governing those outstanding notes. The 2008 Indenture is to be delivered and
executed at the time of the closing of the Exchange Offer.

         Pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Company is also registering
$18,405,000 aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 11-3/8% Senior Notes
due 2004 (the "2004 Notes") as to be amended by a First Supplemental Indenture
(the "First Supplemental Indenture") between the Company and Bankers Trust
Company, National Association, as trustee (the "2004 Trustee"), which is to be
delivered and executed at the time of the closing of the Exchange Offer, and
$18,195,000 aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 10-3/4% Senior Notes
due 2005 (the "2005 Notes") as to be amended by a Second Supplemental Indenture
(the "Second Supplemental Indenture") between the Company and Bankers Trust
Company, National Association, as trustee





(the "2005 Trustee"), which is also to be delivered and executed at the time of
the closing of the Exchange Offer. The Company is registering such 2004 Notes
and 2005 Notes solely in view of the amendments to the indentures under which
those notes were issued.

         We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified
to our satisfaction, of the Registration Statement, the form of the 2008 Notes,
which is set forth in the form of the 2008 Indenture, the form of Certificate of
Designations for the Series C Preferred Stock, the 2004 Notes, as to be amended
by the First Supplemental Indenture, the 2005 Notes, as to be amended by the
Second Supplemental Indenture, and such corporate or comparable documents of
public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company, and we have
made such inquiries of such officers and representatives, as we have deemed
relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinions hereinafter set forth.

         We note that the issuance of the Common Stock upon (i) the optional
redemption of the Series C Preferred Stock prior to April 1, 2013 or (ii) the
optional conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock prior to April 1, 2006 in
connection with a "significant transaction" (as defined in the Certificate of
Designations for the Series C Preferred Stock), which redemption or conversion
may only be effected at the Company's option, is subject to: (a) the receipt of
requisite approval of the stockholders and Board of Directors of the Company to
amend the Company's Certificate of Incorporation to increase its authorized
capitalization or otherwise permit the issuance of additional shares of Common
Stock so that sufficient number of shares of Common Stock are available to
effect the optional redemption or conversion, as the case may be, and (b) the
optional redemption or conversion, as the case may be, by the Company of the
Series C Preferred Stock in accordance with the Certificate of Designations for
the Series C Preferred Stock.

         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

         (1) The 2008 Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and, when
duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the 2008 Trustee in accordance
with the terms of the 2008 Indenture and issued in exchange for currently
outstanding 2004 Notes and 2005 Notes in accordance with the terms of the
Exchange Offer, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company
under the laws of the State of New York, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium, receivership and similar laws
relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors generally and to
general principles of equity (whether applied in a proceeding in equity or at
law).

         (2) The Series C Preferred Stock has been duly authorized and upon
filing the Certificate of Designations with the Secretary of State of Delaware,
when issued in accordance with the Exchange Offer, will be legally issued, fully
paid and non-assessable.

         (3) The Common Stock issuable upon the redemption or conversion of the
Series C Preferred Stock will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable
when: (a) sufficient shares of Common Stock are authorized under an amendment to
the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as the same may be amended
or restated from time to time, the "Restated Certificate") that has been
authorized and adopted by the board of directors of the Company (the "Board")
and the stockholders of the Company, in each case in the manner specified by the
Restated Certificate and the bylaws of the Company in effect at the time, and
has been duly filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the Delaware,
and (b) stock certificates representing such shares of Common Stock, duly
executed by the authorized officers of the Company, are issued and delivered
upon such redemption or conversion of the Series C Preferred Stock in accordance
with the terms thereof and pursuant to duly adopted resolutions of the Board
directing such redemption or conversion and issuance of shares of Common Stock.




         (4) The 2004 Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and, when
amended by the First Supplemental Indenture, will constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company under the laws of the State of New York, subject to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium,
receivership and similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies
of creditors generally and to general principles of equity (whether applied in a
proceeding in equity or at law).

         (5) The 2005 Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and, when
amended by the Second Supplemental Indenture, will constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company under the laws of the State of New York, subject to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent transfer, moratorium,
receivership and similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies
of creditors generally and to general principles of equity (whether applied in a
proceeding in equity or at law).

         The foregoing opinions are limited to the law of the State of New York
and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and applicable
provisions of the constitution and reported decisions of the courts of that
state. We do not express any opinion herein concerning the laws of any other
jurisdiction.

         We hereby consent to the filing of these opinions as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm under the heading
"Legal Matters" in the prospectus constituting part of the Registration
Statement. In giving the foregoing consent, we do not thereby admit that we are
in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act
or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder.

         These opinions are as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to
update or supplement any of our opinions to reflect any changes of law or fact
that may occur.

                                            Very truly yours,

                                            /s/ Kirkpatrick & Lockhart LLP