GRAIN SIZE AND TOUGHNESS
Two other factors are involved in the heating of tool steels, besides the formation of austenite and the
solution of carbides.
These are grains coarsening and melting of the steel. In tool steels, the grain size should be as small as
possible, because a fine-grained hardened steel is inherently tougher than a coarse grained steel.
Usually there is little concern about coarse grain in tool steel because coarsening of the steel does not
occur until the temperature is well above the usual austenitizing temperatures.
RYERSON TOOL STEEL
Over the years, I have used Ryerson Tool Steel in 90% of my tools and reamers with great satisfaction
with long life of tools, and overall good results.
WATER HARDENING
AISI-SAE W2-1.00 Carbon-Vanadium. This is an all-purpose water hardening Carbon-Vanadium Tool
Steel with remarkable hardening characteristics that permit a wide variation in treatment with uniformly
good results. Used for punches, blanking and forming dies shear blades, bending dies, etc.
Effects of tempering on a 2-inch disc 5/8 inch thick, water quenched at 1450 degrees.
TEMPERING TEMPERATURE
ROCKWELL C
As 100 deg 200 deg 300 deg 400 deg 500 deg 600 deg
Quench
67 67 67 65 62 59 55
Hardening - AISI SAE 02,
This is one of the tool steels that I used, along with 01. This is an oil hardening tool steel, which
combines high hardness and deep hardness with minimum distortion, freedom from cracking and good
machine-ability. Used for cams tolls, thread-rolling dies, thread chasers, blanking dies and punches,
bushings, etc.
Working Temperature Forging, 1800 to 1925 degrees F., never below 1550 degrees F. Hardening,