Tool Steel Selection for Shear Blades, Slitter Knives & Industrial Knives

Select tool steel by material thickness, cutting temperature, abrasive edge wear, chipping risk, impact load, and required production volume. For shear blades, slitter knives, and industrial knives, the main choice is usually between edge wear resistance, toughness, hot hardness, and edge sharpness.

Quick Selection Guide by Tool Steel Grade

Choose the grade according to whether the blade is used for light-gage slitting, heavy stock shearing, hot shearing, or industrial knife applications.

Long-Run Slitter Knives

D2 Tool Steel 1.2379 / SKD11 / Cr12Mo1V1

Recommended for long-run slitter knives and light-gage cold shear blades.

Reason: D2 provides high abrasion resistance and helps maintain a precise cutting edge in continuous slitting applications.

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Balanced Shear Blades

A2 Tool Steel 1.2363 / SKD12

Recommended for medium-run shear blades and slitter knives cutting light to medium-gage sheet metal.

Reason: A2 gives a better balance of toughness and wear resistance than D2 when micro-chipping risk is higher.

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Heavy Shear Blades

S7 Tool Steel 1.2355

Recommended for cold shearing heavy or thick stock and applications with severe shock loading.

Reason: S7 provides high impact toughness and ductility, reducing the risk of blade chipping, snapping, or breakage.

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Hot Shearing

S1 Tool Steel 1.2550

Recommended for heavy shear blades and hot-shearing applications where toughness is required.

Reason: S1 is selected when shock resistance and resistance to blade breakage are more important than maximum wear resistance.

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Ultra-Long Edge Life

M2 High Speed Steel 1.3343 / SKH51

Recommended for high-production cold shears, slitter knives, and severe cutting conditions with limited impact.

Reason: M2 offers high wear resistance and helps maintain a sharp edge for long production runs on thinner stock.

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Hot Shear Blades

H13 Tool Steel 1.2344 / SKD61

Recommended for hot shearing heavy sections and hot trimming where the blade contacts heated metal.

Reason: H13 provides hot hardness, thermal shock resistance, and resistance to heat checking in hot cutting service.

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Tough Hot Shearing

H11 Tool Steel 1.2343 / SKD6

Recommended for hot shear blades and hot trimming tools where toughness and thermal shock resistance are critical.

Reason: H11 resists softening, cracking, and heat-checking when the blade works under elevated temperature and impact.

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Severe Hot Shearing

H21 Tool Steel 1.2581 / SKD5

Recommended for severe hot-shearing applications where stronger red hardness is required.

Reason: H21 contains high tungsten, giving stronger resistance to softening during continuous contact with hot metal.

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Industrial Knives

L6 Tool Steel 1.2714 / SKT4

Recommended for industrial knives and machine knives requiring toughness and resistance to chipping.

Reason: L6 provides high toughness for blades exposed to flexing or moderate impact, helping reduce snapping risk.

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Selection Summary

This table gives a faster comparison when the buyer already knows the blade application and main failure risk.

Blade Application	Main Requirement	Aobo Steel Grades
Long-run slitter knives and light-gage cold shear blades	Abrasion resistance and precise edge retention	D2, M2
Medium-run shear blades and light to medium-gage slitting	Balance of wear resistance and toughness	A2
Heavy or thick stock shearing	Impact toughness and resistance to chipping or snapping	S7, S1
Hot shearing and hot trimming blades	Hot hardness, thermal shock resistance, and heat-checking resistance	H13, H11
Severe hot-shearing applications	Red hardness and resistance to softening at elevated temperature	H21
Industrial knives with flexing or moderate impact	Toughness and resistance to blade breakage	L6

Need Tool Steel for Shear Blades, Slitter Knives or Industrial Knives?

Send your grade, size, quantity, blade application, and material being cut. Aobo Steel can support bulk supply of tool steel round bars and plates for industrial buyers.

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