Abrasive Wear-Resistant Tool Steels
Abrasive wear-resistant tool steels are used for tools exposed to hard particles, scale, abrasive work materials, or repeated sliding contact. This page groups tool steels by abrasive wear resistance and helps compare suitable grades for cold-work tooling, cutting tools, forming tools, punches, dies, rolls, and other wear-related applications.
Abrasive Wear-Resistant Tool Steels Available from Aobo Steel
Aobo Steel supplies common abrasive wear-resistant tool steel grades in bulk round bar and flat bar for dies, punches, knives, forming tools, rolling tools, and high-speed cutting tools.
D2 | 1.2379 | SKD11
Standard high-wear cold work steel for blanking dies, punches, forming tools, and thread rolling dies.
D3 | 1.2080 | SKD1
Higher-wear cold work steel for severe abrasive service where toughness demand is lower.
D6 | 1.2436 | SKD2
Severe abrasive wear cold work steel for dies, rolls, forming tools, and abrasive material processing.
A2 | 1.2363 | SKD12
Balanced cold work grade when useful wear resistance must be combined with better toughness.
M2 | 1.3343 | SKH51
General-purpose high-speed steel for cutting tools, drills, cutters, broaches, and wear-loaded tools.
M35 / M42 HSS
Cobalt high-speed steels for demanding cutting tools that need wear resistance and improved hot hardness.
Abrasive wear-resistant tool steels are selected when the working surface gradually becomes scratched, grooved, or cut away during service. The best grade depends on carbide volume, toughness, hot hardness, machinability, grinding cost, and the actual failure mode of the tool.
Recommended Tool Steels for Abrasive Wear Resistance
The following tool steels are commonly selected when abrasive wear is a major service problem. The grades differ in carbide volume, toughness, hot hardness, machinability, and cost.
| Tool Steel Grade | Equivalent / Type | Main Position | Typical Use Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | 1.2379 / SKD11 | Standard high-wear cold work steel | Blanking dies, punches, forming tools, thread rolling dies |
| D3 | 1.2080 / SKD1 | Higher-wear cold work steel | Severe cold work wear where toughness demand is lower |
| D6 | 1.2436 / SKD2 | Severe abrasive wear cold work steel | Dies, rolls, forming tools, abrasive material processing |
| D7 | High-carbon, high-vanadium D-series | Maximum wear resistance in D-series | Brick molds, severe wear tooling, rigorous abrasive applications |
| A2 | 1.2363 / SKD12 | Balanced wear and toughness grade | Tools requiring better toughness than high-carbon D-series grades |
| A7 | High-carbon, high-vanadium A-series | Special high-wear air-hardening steel | Maximum abrasion resistance with reduced toughness |
| M2 | 1.3343 / SKH51 | General-purpose high-speed steel | Cutting tools, drills, cutters, broaches |
| M4 | High-vanadium high-speed steel | High-wear HSS grade | Punches, broaches, blanking tools, abrasive cutting |
| M35 | 1.3243 / SKH55 | Cobalt high-speed steel | Cutting tools requiring improved hot hardness |
| M42 | 1.3247 / SKH59 | High-hardness cobalt HSS | Demanding cutting tools and high-hardness cutting applications |
| T15 | Tungsten high-speed steel | Extremely high-wear HSS grade | Severe cutting and wear conditions requiring high vanadium and cobalt content |
Why These Tool Steels Resist Abrasive Wear
Abrasive wear resistance mainly comes from the steel’s microstructure. A hardened martensitic matrix provides a base hardness, while hard alloy carbides resist abrasive particle cutting and grooving.
The matrix alone is not enough in severe abrasive conditions. A hardened steel matrix may reach about 65 to 70 HRC, while many abrasive particles can reach 1500 to 2500 HV. Alloy carbides provide the main resistance to abrasive cutting; matrix hardness only supports the structure.
| Metallurgical Factor | Function |
|---|---|
| Martensitic matrix | Provides base hardness and supports the carbide structure |
| High carbon content | Allows more carbide formation |
| Chromium carbides | Main wear-resistant carbides in high-carbon, high-chromium cold work steels |
| Vanadium carbides | Extremely hard MC-type carbides for severe abrasive wear |
| Tungsten and molybdenum carbides | Important in high-speed steels for wear resistance and hot hardness |
| Carbide volume | Higher carbide volume gives stronger resistance to surface cutting |
| Carbide distribution | More uniform carbides give more stable wear resistance across the tool surface |
In high-carbon, high-chromium cold-work steels, abrasive wear resistance is primarily supported by chromium-rich carbides. In high-vanadium grades, MC-type vanadium carbides provide stronger resistance against hard abrasive particles. Vanadium carbides can reach about 2520 HK or up to 2400 HV, which explains why high-vanadium tool steels show very high abrasion resistance.
Where Abrasive Wear-Resistant Tool Steels Are Used
Abrasive-wear-resistant tool steels are used when the working surface must resist gradual material loss from repeated contact with hard or abrasive materials.
| Application Area | Typical Tooling | Common Grades |
|---|---|---|
| Blanking and punching | Punches, dies, blanking tools | D2, D3, D6, A2, M4 |
| Forming abrasive materials | Forming dies, drawing tools, pressure tools | D2, D3, D6, A2 |
| Thread rolling | Thread rolling dies and rolls | D2, D3, D6 |
| Shearing and slitting | Shear blades, slitting knives | D2, A2, M2 |
| Cutting abrasive materials | Broaches, reamers, cutters, drills | M2, M35, M42, M4 |
| Powder compacting | Compacting dies and punches | D2, D6, D7, high-vanadium grades |
| Brick, ceramic, and mineral tooling | Molds, wear plates, forming tools | D6, D7, high-vanadium grades |
| Long-run cold work production | Dies and punches requiring stable dimensions | D2, D3, D6, A2 |
How to Choose the Right Grade
Match the grade to the failure mode and wear resistance requirement.
| Tool Condition | Recommended Direction | Grades to Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Gradual abrasive wear in cold work | High-carbon, high-chromium cold work steel | D2, D3, D6 |
| Severe abrasive wear with low impact | Higher-carbide cold work steel | D3, D6, D7 |
| Wear plus chipping risk | Better toughness with useful wear resistance | A2, DC53 |
| Cutting wear with heat generation | High-speed steel with hot hardness | M2, M35, M42, M4 |
| Maximum wear resistance in cutting or punching | High-vanadium tool steel | M4, T15, A7 |
| Heavy shock or impact | Shock-resisting steel instead of high-carbide steel | S1, S5, S7 |
| Short production run | Lower-cost, easier-to-process steel | O1, O2, W-series |
| Complex machining or frequent grinding | Avoid extremely high-carbide grades | A2, O1, O2, or other easier-machining grades |
| Ultra-high-speed continuous cutting | Tool steel may not be suitable | Carbide, ceramic, or PCBN |
Compare four practical factors before final selection: wear resistance, toughness, working temperature, and processing cost. This helps avoid a high-wear grade that does not fit the actual tooling condition.
Need Bulk Abrasive Wear-Resistant Tool Steel Supply?
Aobo Steel supplies D2, D3, D6, A2, M2, M35, M42 and other wear-resistant tool steel round bar and flat bar for bulk industrial orders. Send your required grade, size, quantity, and application.