M42 is a high-cobalt high-speed steel built for high hardness, strong hot hardness, and excellent wear resistance. It is widely used for high-performance cutting tools and precision cold-work tooling where wear and accuracy matter.
With cobalt added, M42 maintains hardness and edge strength at elevated temperature (higher red hardness), making it suitable for high-speed cutting and high-heat conditions.
Key Benefits of M42 Steel
Cutting Tools
Ideal for drills, taps, end mills, and reamers. M42 offers a sharp edge with stable wear resistance, especially for high-heat cutting and harder materials.
Best for punches, stamping dies, and forming tools in high-stress applications where wear life and dimensional stability are critical.
Widely used for shear blades, slitter knives, and machine knives where clean cutting and wear resistance are required.
| ZEICIN Grade | GB | AISI | JIS | DIN | Erasteel | Bohler | Hitachi |
| ZDF-M42 | W2Mo9Cr4VCo8 | M42 | SKH59 | 1.3247 / S6-5-2-5 | EM42 | S500 | YXM42 |
| Elemnet | C | W | Mo | Cr | V | Co | Al | Mn | Si | S | P |
| Contene(%) | 1.05-1.15 | 1.15-1.85 | 9.00-10.00 | 3.50-4.25 | 0.95-1.35 | 7.75-8.75 | – | 0.15-0.40 | 0.15-0.65 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.03 |
sed to reduce stress, improve machinability, and prepare the structure for hardening.
Rapid cooling builds the base hardness and wear resistance and is one of the key steps for final performance.
Tempering after quenching relieves stress, improves stability, and helps balance hardness and toughness.
Annealing-Quenching-Tempering graph (HRC:65-67)
ZEICIN Steel is a professional manufacturer of M42 HSS, supplying products in various forms produced by hot rolling and hot forging. Bulk supply and customized size requirements are available upon request.
| Type | Specification（mm) | Surface Condition |
| Cold-drawn Round Steel | φ1-12 | Black/Centerless Surface |
| Hot-rolled Round Steel | φ12-60 | Turned Surface |
| Precision Forged Round Steel (Spray Forming) | φ60-300+ | Turned/Peeled Surface |
Different surface conditions affect appearance, dimensional accuracy, and machining allowance. The images below show common delivery options (actual products may vary by size and batch).
ZEICIN STEEL invests in R&D for high-speed steels and martensitic stainless steels. Our focus is on cleaner steel, more uniform carbide distribution, and stable heat-treatment response to support longer service life and better batch consistency.
Our company research and development team：Our company is one Member of the key project of “the 13th five-year plan ”of the National ministry of science and technology, Our company enjoys National government support and financial subsidies.
Together with Shanghai University and a Beijing-based steel research institute, we have developed a rapid-solidification electroslag remelting (RS ESR) process route. This process helps improve steel cleanliness and carbide uniformity, supporting longer tool life and more stable performance.
We work with Baosteel Group on spray forming technology. Our team supports process development and engineering validation for spray-formed HSS, helping meet high-performance material development and scale-up needs.
Yes. We are a factory. ZEICIN STEEL produces high-quality, cost-effective special steels, including stainless steel, tool & die steel, and high-speed steel. We also have our own import/export license, so we can serve overseas customers directly and support stable supply with batch traceability.
Yes. For first-time cooperation, we can provide a limited quantity of samples for verification (such as grade confirmation, machining trials, or heat-treatment evaluation). Samples can be shipped by international courier, and the courier cost is paid by the buyer. We value honest cooperation and look forward to a long-term win-win partnership.
Our common international payment methods include T/T and L/C. For trade terms, we can also support options such as DDU based on the order. The final payment method and terms can be confirmed according to your country/region, order value, and delivery method.
Our products use standard industrial packaging to ensure safe transportation. If you need custom packaging, please let us know when placing your order.
If the products are in stock, delivery usually takes 5–7 days.
If the products are not in stock, delivery time is about 30–40 days, depending on the order quantity.
