# Tool Steel A2

> The balanced tool steel: between O1 toughness and D2 wear, with air-quench stability.

- Category: Carbon, Alloy & Tool Steels → tool-steel
- HTML page: https://fabvector.com/materials/tool-steel-a2 (Portuguese: https://fabvector.com/pt/materials/tool-steel-a2)
- Price index: $$$ (1–5, 6061-T6 = $)

## Mechanical properties (typical values, not certified minimums)

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Tensile strength | — (specified by hardness) |
| Yield strength | — (specified by hardness) |
| Hardness | 57–62 HRC (hardened) |
| Density | 7.86 g/cm³ |
| Machinability | ★★☆☆☆ (2/5) |
| Corrosion resistance | ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5) |

## When to choose it

The sensible middle of the cold-work family: noticeably tougher than D2, more wear-resistant than O1, and air hardening keeps distortion low on intricate die details.

## When to look elsewhere

For maximum abrasion life in long production runs, D2 outlasts it; for one-off gauges and hand-finished tooling, O1 is cheaper and simpler to heat treat in-house.

## Typical applications

- General-purpose punches and dies
- Press-brake and bending tooling
- Gauges and fixture wear details

## Compatible surface finishes

- [As-Machined](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/as-machined)
- [Black Oxide](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/black-oxide)
- [PTFE Coating (Teflon)](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/ptfe-coating)
- [Laser Marking](https://fabvector.com/md/finishes/laser-marking)

Industries: industrial-automation, automotive · Instant quote: https://fabvector.com/quote