D2
High-carbon, high-chromium cold-work steel for dies, punches and wear parts. Easy to confuse with A2 on the bench, so keep it in its own box.
Specialty solids · Tool steel · Solids only
Sell tool steel drops and remnants
We review tool steel solids: D2, A2, H13, O1, S7 and similar grades as blocks, plate drops, saw cutoffs, bar ends and unused blanks, kept by grade. An annealed H13 block with its grade still stamped on it is a die maker's stock, so we review it as stock, not as melt. We do not buy chips, turnings or grinding swarf.
Which tool steel we look at
Solids only, one grade per box. These are the grades shops most often have left over. Others are fine if the grade is marked.
A2
Air-hardening cold-work steel, common for punches, form tools and fixtures. Box it on its own and mark the box "A2".
H13
Chromium hot-work steel used for die-cast, extrusion and forging tooling. Blocks and plate drops tend to be large, so note rough sizes.
O1
Oil-hardening tool steel, often bought as precision ground flat stock or drill rod. Keep ground flat stock in its original sleeve or box if you still have it.
S7
Shock-resisting steel for chisels, punches and parts that take impact. Same rule: one grade per box, labeled.
High-speed steel (M2 and similar)
Unused HSS blanks and bar. Tell us exactly what the stamp or packing slip says.
Annealed vs hardened: why it matters
Tool steel is sold annealed (soft) so a shop can machine it, then it gets heat treated after the part is roughed out. That changes what a leftover piece is good for.
Annealed, unused stock
- Bought soft, never heat treated. The next shop can saw, mill and drill it like any bar or plate.
- This is the easiest tool steel to place as stock, especially with the grade stamp or cert.
- Keep it apart from anything that went through heat treat.
Hardened pieces
- Heat-treated offcuts, rejected parts and used die sections. Usually they must be annealed again before normal machining, or be ground or EDM cut.
- We still review them, but they place with less certainty. Box them separately and mark them "hardened".
- A file that skates instead of biting points to a hardened piece. See how to identify unmarked drops.
Keep grades sorted
Tool steel grades look the same once the stamp is gone, and a shop that heat treats the wrong grade ruins a part. That is why one unmarked piece dropped into a D2 box can drag the whole box into ID hold. One grade per box, annealed separate from hardened, a label on the box and the cert or packing slip kept with it. Pull anything unmarked into its own "unknown" box.
Why a marked H13 block is stock, not scrap
A scrap yard melts what it buys. A die or mold shop pays for a block it can machine a cavity or insert from without ordering new. A block with its grade stamped on it, still annealed, and with a cert to back it, is still that block.
What helps a buyer trust it
- The grade stamp, inkjet print or color code with the supplier's chart.
- A mill cert, heat number or packing slip that names the grade. See how mill certs raise the offer.
- A note on condition: annealed, hardened or unknown.
- Square-cut blocks and drops with sizes you can measure.
Usually a recycler's job
- Unmarked "tool steel" tubs with grades mixed together.
- Cracked, heavily machined or welded die sections.
- Chips, turnings and grinding swarf.
- "It's probably D2." We won't guess a grade.
How to sell a tool steel lot
1. Sort
One grade per box, annealed apart from hardened. Unmarked pieces go in their own box.
2. Photograph
The whole lot with a tape measure in frame, then close-ups of the grade stamps and the cert or packing slip.
3. Submit
Use the sell form (pick "Tool steel") with grade, condition, a rough piece count, weight and your ZIP, or email buyers@machineshopscrap.com. Ownership certification is required.
4. Review & offer
A person reviews it and makes an offer. There's no posted price per pound. See how we value.
Tool steel FAQ
This page goes deeper than the tool steel answer on specialty solids. Titanium, Inconel, aluminum, stainless and carbon/alloy have their own pages: titanium drops, Inconel drops, Hastelloy and Monel drops, aluminum plate drops, stainless drops and carbon and alloy steel drops.
Do you buy tool steel chips or grinding swarf?
No. We buy solids only: blocks, plate drops, saw cutoffs, bar ends and unused blanks. Chips, turnings, grinding swarf and mixed loose scrap go to a normal recycler.
Do you buy hardened tool steel?
We review it, but hardened pieces are harder for the next shop to reuse because they usually have to be annealed before normal machining, or be ground or EDM cut. Tell us if a piece was heat treated. Annealed, unused stock is the easiest to place.
Is an H13 block worth more than a D2 block?
We don't post a rate for any grade. Each lot is reviewed by a person. A readable grade stamp, the condition (annealed or hardened) and a cert or packing slip help any grade review higher.
What if my tool steel has no grade stamp?
Send photos anyway, but an unmarked tool steel tub usually lands in ID hold or gets declined, because the grades look alike and we won't guess one. A file test can show hard vs soft; it can't tell D2 from A2.
Do I need mill certs to sell tool steel drops?
No. But a mill cert, heat number or the supplier packing slip that names the grade raises the offer, because the next buyer can trust what the material is.