Product Overview
The T-Series-101 High-Carbon Tool Steel is a premium-grade, oil-hardening cold-work tool steel conforming to AISI O1 and ASTM A681 standards. Engineered for exceptional wear resistance, dimensional stability, and ease of machining and grinding, this tool steel delivers consistent performance in demanding metalworking and tooling applications. Supplied in the fully annealed condition, it ensures optimal machinability prior to heat treatment—making it ideal for precision custom forging and CNC-machined tool components. As part of our T-Series portfolio, the T-Series-101 offers superior toughness-to-hardness balance compared to standard high-carbon steels, with reliable response to conventional hardening and tempering cycles.
This O1 tool steel excels where fine edge retention, moderate impact resistance, and minimal distortion during heat treatment are critical. Its balanced composition—rich in tungsten, chromium, and manganese—enhances hardenability and red hardness without requiring complex quenching media. Widely specified by global toolmakers and job shops, it serves as a go-to high-carbon tool steel for cost-sensitive yet performance-critical applications.
Key Features
- Oil-hardening capability — reduces distortion and cracking risk vs. water-quenched steels
- Excellent machinability in annealed condition (HB 180–200)
- Superior wear resistance and edge-holding capability after hardening (up to 65 HRC)
- Fully compliant with AISI O1 and ASTM A681 chemical & mechanical requirements
- Available in thicknesses from 1.5 mm to 150 mm — optimized for custom forging and blanking
- Uniform microstructure and low inclusion content for enhanced fatigue life
- Readily accepts surface treatments (e.g., nitriding, PVD coatings)
Technical Specifications
| Parameter |
Value |
| Grade Designation |
AISI O1 / UNS T31501 |
| Condition |
Full Annealed (Softened) |
| Carbon (C) |
0.90–1.00 wt% |
| Chromium (Cr) |
0.40–0.60 wt% |
| Tungsten (W) |
0.40–0.60 wt% |
| Manganese (Mn) |
1.00–1.20 wt% |
| Hardness (Annealed) |
180–200 HB |
| Typical Hardness (Hardened & Tempered) |
62–65 HRC |
| Density |
7.85 g/cm³ |
| Thermal Conductivity (20°C) |
42 W/m·K |
| Modulus of Elasticity |
200 GPa |
| Thickness Range |
1.5 mm – 150 mm |
Applications
The T-Series-101 tool steel is widely deployed across B2B industrial sectors requiring durable, precision-engineered tooling. Key uses include: blanking and piercing dies, shear blades, gauges, jigs & fixtures, hand tools (chisels, punches, taps), cold heading dies, and custom-forged forming tools. Its reliability in O1 tool steel applications makes it a preferred choice for Tier-1 automotive suppliers, aerospace component manufacturers, and specialized forging houses seeking repeatable metallurgical consistency. As a versatile high-carbon tool steel, it supports both small-batch prototyping and high-volume production runs — especially where tight tolerances and post-heat-treatment stability are non-negotiable.
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