Ed Griffith Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 I am curious what I can make from my D2. I do need punches, chisel's, fullers, ect. Would the D2 be ok for them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuEulear Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 It is not normally a hot work die steel but it should work for all of those however dont water cool any of your tools in use or you will likely shatter them also find a good data sheet as d2 has rather spacific tempature ranges for forging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 How is using water to keep the tool cool going to shatter it? not if ya keep it cool in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Will only shatter if you over heat your tool in use getting it above the austenitizing temp and then quench in water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 I used it for die sets that were punching steel tube. I would not use it for tooling myself, and the fact it is air hardening can be very problematic when forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Griffith Posted January 8, 2018 Author Share Posted January 8, 2018 Thank you. what is the best steel to use for hardy tools, and for top fullers or punches and drifts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 A hardy is used for cutting, the others are called bottom tools. \ Most of my bottom/top tools are fairly soft-probably mild steel. Remember that cold mild steel is a lot harder than yellow hot steel. Punches and drifts-depends on the application. Some use H13 for tools that are in contact with hot steel for extended period of time. Other tools can be made from car coil springs, modified factory punches, etc.. depending on the usage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuEulear Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Sorry i have always been told not to water cool any of the more rich alloy tool steels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Sorry, If it's not over the austenitizing temp it can't harden . However it's a good check on possible bad practice... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanderson Iron Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 21 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Sorry, If it's not over the austenitizing temp it can't harden . In theory, not in shop. Metal is not perfectly homogenous. On 1/7/2018 at 8:17 AM, Ed Griffith said: I am curious what I can make from my D2. I do need punches, chisel's, fullers, ect. Would the D2 be ok for them? If you have it, use it and see how it works. That's what shop knowledge is built on. You'll learn its limits better that way. Keep in mind it's an air hardened steel, so if it gets read (like using it as a hot drift, slit, etc) it's probably gonna harden, like it or not. Here is what little I know about its chemistry: the carbon is what makes it hardenable, but it is really high, approaching cast iron (which is 2% typical minimum, if I recall); the chromium will help it harden throughout (I think the vanadium too, but I'm not sure); and the molybdenum will keep it hard at high temperatures, which makes it hard to forge. (Mo is used in tool steels to retain a sharp cutting edge, which heats from friction.) Here is what's in D2: Carbon 1.4 - 1.6 Chromium 11 - 13 Cobalt 1 max Iron Balance Manganese 0.6 max Molybdenum 0.7 - 1.2 Phosphorus 0.03 max Silicon 0.6 max Sulphur 0.03 max Vanadium 1.1 max More information can be read here: http://www.suppliersonline.com/propertypages/D2.asp I hope this helped, and I hope my help was accurate. (Joel) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Griffith Posted January 10, 2018 Author Share Posted January 10, 2018 Thank you Joel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 To get the best properties out of D2 you need to soak at hardening heat to dissolve all the crazy carbides in it before taking it out to harden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 D2 has great wear charistics when used for punching / shearing steel. One option you have is to trade / sell it off fo something else that is more usable in your shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winegums Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 D2 is demi stainless (12% Cr) with better corrosion resistance than 10XX, O1, W1, W2, A2 and other high carbon low chromium steels. It makes a good knife, (cold) punch/chisel, forming dies, etc. It's basically an air hardening tool steel that is less prone to rusting than say O1 which will stain if you leave so much as a finger print on it when it's bare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 So I found this thread when trying to figure out what to do with this block of D2 I had. I would say it is not a good steel choice for a top tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 Was it forged and heat treated properly? I've accidentally "cottage cheesed" H-13 before when I first started working it; but claimed it was my fault, not the alloy's. (H-13 is a great alloy for making slitters and punches that get buried in hot steel.) D2 pretty much needs a computerized furnace to heat treat to get it's best properties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 It was forged and left "normalized". I know D2 air hardens and this was caused by an almost missed blow with an 8lb sledge hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 So you can't normalize D2 like a typical HC steel, (there is a method of stress relieving after machining). Looks to me what was done was to harden it and then no tempering mentioned and then failed under impact. Just like most HC steels hardened and not tempered and then struck. D2 is not an alloy that blacksmithing methods of heat treating work well for; but if properly handled it does make good tools for certain uses. I have a friend who used to use it a lot; of course he had a custom inert atmosphere ramping heat treat furnace and a Father who was a research Metallurgist... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 You had plenty of warning about using it for tooling..the results do not surprise me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benona blacksmith Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 That I did!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 I suggest you get the Heat treaters guide companion apk. It will give you the specs you need. For instance, it is one of the steels that the specs specifically state. " Do Not Normalize". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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