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Steel for hammer dies


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Thanks for feedback. The dies is for hammers 15-75 kg . Flat , combi, fullering and crown dies. Im have a company making the dies for me. Here is the durability and quality that counts :) I made some dies myself some years ago of H13, Its hard to machine I must say. 

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Have used forklift forks with good result, i know its an unknown but they respond well to an oil hardening, an are common to find in large dimensions.


Were you able to cut them with anything other than a torch? I have a small one and tried horizontal bandsaw, chop saw, plasma cutter. I just didn't want to have to grind off the ugly torch marks along the cut.
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I have had really good luck with forklift steel too but you need to aneal it first to cut it with a saw.

 

That's quite a chicken and egg problem ;-). I can only anneal small pieces. I can only cut annealed pieces.

 

So, in your experience, does it air harden or can you soften it enough by bringing it to heat and then air cooling?

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S7 works very well for hammer dies. I costs about the same as 4140 and you don't need any quenching medium, as it's air hardening. A 3x3x6" is $79 through Hudson. You can temper with pretty good control in your kitchen oven at 550f and get good results at 55Rc. Perhaps a bit harder than you'd like but it works well for me, as long and the features are not to fine.

I don't know why you'd ever use H13 for a hammer die. I can't see the die ever getting to a temperature you'd see deformation with S7 or 4140 / 4340. A great material for true hot work however. There is a great heat treat paper on line on the Tidewater Blacksmith site if you need the information presented in simple easy to follow manner. http://tidewaterblacksmiths.com/heat.html

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