AISI A2 is an air-hardening tool steel that exhibits wear characteristics that fall between O1 and D2. Its combination of good toughness, wear resistance, and relatively easy machining characteristics have made A2 a popular cold working tool steel. Its applications include punches and dies of all types, shear blades, mold inserts, and wear plates. It has a machinability rating of 65% compared to a 1% carbon tool steel (W1).

A6 is an air hardening, cold work die steel that exhibits less distortion during heat treatment than water or oil hardening steels and most high alloy, air hardening die steels. An advantage of A6 is its low hardening temperature of 1500'-1600F, usually available only in oil hardening steels. Typical applications include stamping and forming dies.

D2 tool steel offers excellent wear/abrasion resistant characteristics. The grade is typically used in the 60/62 Rc range. D2 displays minimal distortion in heat treat and is machinable in the annealed condition at 65% of a 1% carbon tool steel (W1). D2 is commonly used in long run, close tolerance jobs. Typical applications include tools and dies for blanking, forming, punching, and other operations requiring high compressive strength and excellent wear resistance.

O1 is an oil hardening cold work tool steel grade that exhibits very good dimensional stability as well as good machinability (90% of 1% tool steel). It has good abrasion resistance and sufficient toughness for normal tool and die applications. When it is essential to have a safe, consistently hardening tool steel, O1 is a good choice. Recommended applications include cold-forming and blanking and bending dies.

AISI S7 is a shock steel with exceptional impact properties. S7 is an extremely versatile tool steel used in both cold work applications such as tools and dies, plastic molds, and shear blades, as well as medium hot work dies. It is an air hardening grade that is extremely stable in heat treat, and it is machinable at a rate of 95% of 1% tool steel (W1). Some other typical applications utilizing the excellent shock resisting characteristics of the grade include hot heading dies, chisels, punches, and blanking and bending dies.

S5 was developed primarily for shock-resisting parts in which a combination of great ductility with hardness is required.. Although S5 may be water quenched, it is primarily an oil hardening tool steel - intricate parts made of S5 are usually oil quenched. Typical applications include hand and pneumatic chipping chisels, shear blades, caulking tools, beading tools, punches and all types of severe or unusual service, involving drastic and repeated impact at room temperatures. S5 has a machinability rating of 65% of 1% carbon tool steel (W1). Dimensional stability is good when oil quenching is utilized.

H13 combines good red hardness and abrasion resistance with the ability to resist heat checking. H13 is the steel of choice in many hot working applications such as aluminum and zinc die casting dies. It is also popular for extrusion press tooling because of its ability to withstand drastic cooling from high operating temperatures. H13 has a machinability rating of 75% when compared with a 1% tool steel (W1). Dimensional stability is very good.

M-2 is the most widely used high speed steel. Its combination of toughness, red hardness, and wear resistance makes it the steel of choice for applications such as drills, taps, reamers, form cutters, wood cutting and forming, gear cutters, and many others. M2 has a machinability rating of 65% when compared to a 1% carbon tool steel (W1).

M42 is a cobalt based high speed steel that can be heat treated to a hardness of Rc 68. The hardness combined with good red hardness makes this grade perform well when machining special alloys. Typical applications include end mills, form tools, reamers, and shaper cutters. Machinability is at 35% of 1% carbon tool steel (W1).

PM M4 is a high speed steel produced using powder metallurgy technology. This grade exhibits increased wear resistance and toughness capabilities in both cold work and high speed applications. Typical applications include punches and dies, broaches, gear hobs, shaper cutters, rolls, and milling cutters. Machinability ratings of 45% versus a 1% carbon tool steel (W1) are to be expected.

PM T15 is a super high speed steel containing high levels of Chromium, Vanadium, Cobalt, and Tungsten. These alloys give the grade superior red hardness and wear resistance when machining very difficult alloys. Typical applications include broaches, gear hobs, form tools, and taps. Machinability for this grade falls at 20% of a 1% carbon tool steel (W1).

PM A11 is a powdered cold work tool steel with high carbon and vanadium content. This allows the formation of vanadium carbides which creates a cold working steel that will wear at greatly increased levels when compared with standard forming and stamping steels such as A2 and D2. PM A11 is generally used in the 60/62 Rc range and works best in applications such as dies and punches of all kinds, barrels, screws, and tips for plastic injection molding applications, shearing knives, pelletizer knives, and industrial knives of all kinds, and woodworking tools. PM A11 machines at 65% of a 1% carbon tool steel (W1).