Tool steels carbon content and performance

[sparks&steel]

I'm looking into how carbon levels change the hardness, wear, and how easy it is to work with tool steels. Basically, trying to match the steel's makeup to what it's going to be used for.

 

[thedailygrind]

Having more carbon in tool steels makes them tougher and last longer, but also makes them a pain to shape and work on. If you're making cutting tools, shooting for about 0.8-1.2% carbon is a good idea to get the best of both worlds. It really comes down to finding the perfect balance for what you're doing.

 

[Jo Melon]

Higher carbon boosts hardness and wear via more martensite and carbides but it usually reduces toughness, so saying “more carbon makes them tougher” is off. Are you targeting cold work dies, hot work tools or edge tools, since alloying and tempering curves (e.g., Cr, Mo, V carbides) matter as much as hitting 0.8–1.2 percent C?

 

[Alan]

Great breakdown. And you’re right, the idea that “more carbon equals tougher” doesn’t really stand up. I’m really curious about what they’re trying to create, especially since the mix of alloys can change everything.