Our cold work tool steels fall into three main categories: Oil Hardening, Air Hardening, High-carbon-chromium / D-type.

The group is characterized by its high wear resistance, high hardenability and average heat softening resistance and toughness. Oil quenching and air hardening are used to help reduce distortion and stress, which is common in the faster ‘water quenching’ method. These steels also contain more alloying elements than the water quenching class.

The steels’ hardenability is increased by the alloys, thus lessening the need for such a severe quenching method. As a result, the cold work tool steel group is less likely to crack than other groups.

Their high surface-hardness means they are excellent steels for knife blades. They are also commonly used in production of large parts and parts that do not require heavy distortion during hardening.

Oil Hardening Steel is classified with the prefix ‘O’, and typically have high machinability. The steel is most often used for knives and forks. It can be hardened to approximately 57 to 61 HRC.

The high chromium content of Air Hardening Steels causes them to resist distortion during heat treatment, and their higher alloy content causes them to harden in air. They have good machinability and a balance of toughness and wear resistance. They are classified by the ‘A’ prefix (A1 – A10).

High carbon-chromium or ‘D-type’ steel can maintain their hardness in temperatures rising to about 425°C, and has a chromium content of about 10 – 13%. Often considered stainless or semi-stainless, d-type steel actually has a limited corrosion resistance. This group of cold work tool steel is commonly used for drawing dies, die-casting die blocks and forging dies.

D2 Tool Steel

D2 Tool Steel is a high carbon – high chromium air hardening tool steel, heat treatable to 60-62 Rc.

D3 Tool Steel

D3 Tool Steel is an air hardening, high-carbon, high-chromium tool steel.

DC53 Tool Steel

DC53 Tool Steel is a general purpose cold work tool steel.

SKD11 Tool Steel

SKD11 Tool Steel is a high-carbon and high-chromium alloy tool steel.

O1 Tool Steel

AISI O1 Tool Steel is a high-carbon and high-chromium alloy cold work tool steel. O1 tool steel is mainly used for short run tooling for cold forming dies, blanking dies, and cutting tools operating at ambient temperature.

O2 Tool Steel

AISI O2 Tool Steel is an oil hardening tool steel type supplied in the annealed condition and characterised by its characteristics of offering good durability, excellent wear resistance and its ability to hold a good cutting edge. O2 tool steel is a good quality general purpose tool steel often used where the expense of a high carbon high chromium tool steel would not be justified.

A2 Tool Steel

AISI A2 Steel is a high quality Cold work tool steel, It belong to the high quality high carbon alloy tool steel.

typical applications include cold forging dies, coining dies, cold heading dies, shear blades, knurling tools and as cutting knives for paper, wood, fibre and resin-bonded aterial, etc.

A3 Tool Steel

AISI A3 Steel is a Cold work tool steel, It belong to the high quality high carbon alloy tool steel.A3 steels are mainly used for slitters, die shapes.