A8 tool steel is a shock‑resistant cold work tool steel designed for tools that must handle both impact and abrasion. With the right heat treatment, A8 cold work tool steel normally reaches about 54–58 HRC. At this hardness level, tools are strong and tough, with good resistance to chipping, cracking and deformation under shock loading.
Key Benefits of A8 Tool Steel
These features make A8 a practical choice where standard cold work steels may crack or chip, but high‑alloy wear‑resistant steels may be too brittle.
Cold heading and cold extrusion dies
Punches and piercing punches for shock‑loaded work
Shear blades, trimming tools, and cropping knives
Coining, forming, and bending dies
| C | Cr | Mn | Si | Mo | S | P | V |
| 0.50-0.55 | 7.80-8.20 | 0.30-0.40 | 0.90-1.10 | 1.50-1.80 | ≤0.03 | ≤0.03 | 0.35-0.50 |
Heat to 845–870°C, then cool slowly in the furnace. Annealed hardness: ≤230 HB (typical).
Heat to 980–1010°C, then oil quench, air cool, or salt bath quench. Hardness after quenching & tempering: about 54–58 HRC.
Temper at 175–595°C for at least 1 hour. Double tempering is recommended to improve toughness and dimensional stability.
ZEICIN Steel provides A8 cold work tool steel in a wide range of product forms, including round bar, flat bar, square bar, and steel plate. Available surface conditions include black, annealed, shot blasted, milled, peeled, turned, and ground to meet different tooling, machining, and industrial application needs.
We provide custom sizes, tailored processing options, and stable bulk supply, helping customers meet different industrial and tooling requirements efficiently.
| Type | Specification (mm) | Surface Condition |
| Round Bar | Φ20–300 or Customized | Black / Ground / Turned / Peeled |
| Flat Bar | (20-200)*(200-610)*(2500-5800) | Annerled / Shot-Blasted / Milled |
| Square Bar | (20-200)*(20-200)*(2500-5800) | Annerled / Milled / Black |
| Steel Plate | (50-200)*(210-610)*(2500-5800) | Black / Sandblasted / Granding |
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 specializes in high-performance cold-work tool steels. Our focus is on cleaner steel, uniform carbide distribution, stable heat treatment response, and improved wear resistance, ensuring longer tool life and consistent batch performance.
Our R&D team participates in national-level research programs and advanced technology projects. With strong technical support, we continuously improve the performance and reliability of high-performance tool steels.
We adopt advanced refining routes such as EAF + LF + VD + ESR, which improve steel cleanliness, reduce segregation, and enhance microstructure uniformity. This ensures better wear resistance and consistent performance.
We specialize in cold work tool steels such as D2 for dies, punches, shear blades, and wear-resistant components. Our materials provide high hardness, excellent wear resistance, and stable dimensional performance in demanding industrial environments.
“We use ZEICIN tool steels for our blanking dies. The wear resistance and dimensional stability are excellent, and tool life is much longer than before.”
“ZEICIN tool steels deliver high hardness and consistent cutting performance. The quality is reliable, and delivery is always on time for our production needs.”
“Stable quality and excellent heat treatment response. The materials perform very well in our punching tools and wear parts during long-term use.”
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.
