A cutting blade needs to hold its edge. A punch needs to resist wear without breaking. A hot die needs to handle repeated heating and cooling. These jobs call for different tool steels.
At Dexter Steel, we use the tool’s application and working conditions to help narrow down the grade.
| Grade | Main reason to consider it |
|---|---|
| A2 | A balance of wear resistance and toughness |
| D2 | Strong wear resistance for repeated cutting and forming |
| H13 | Tooling that works with hot material |
| O1 | Small tools made through a suitable oil-hardening process |
If you are replacing an existing tool, knowing whether it wears, chips or cracks helps make the choice more useful.
Buy Blanks That Save Workshop Time
We can supply cut blanks and review drilling or other processing from your drawing. Receiving pieces prepared for the next operation can reduce handling and free up workshop time.
Blank size matters too. Excess material adds machining cost, while too little leaves no room for finishing after heat treatment.
Most tools are machined from annealed stock and hardened later. The enquiry should make clear whether you need raw bar, cut blanks or parts with specified processing completed.
