AISI W-1 1.1545 Tool Steel
AISI W-1 1.1545 water hardening is the most popular, versatile, and least expensive grade of tool steel. Its high carbon content allows it to be used often without heat treatment for maintenance applications. It is a fine grained electric furnace melted commercial grade tool steel which is supplied in the fully spheroidized 100% decarb free condition.
W-1 is a water-hardening tool steel that is easy to machine. Its high carbon content allows it to develop a keen cutting edge. It has a moderate wear resistance. W1 is basically a simple high carbon steel and is easily hardened by heating and quenching in water, just as with plain carbon steel alloys.
W1 is commonly used for hand operated metal cutting tool, cold heading, embossing taps and reamers as well as cutlery. W1 is plain carbon steel and machines with ease. The W series of tool steel are very simple alloy group, low cost, and responsive to simple heating and water quenching for hardening. The alloy does undergo considerable distortion during quenching.
Soft Annealing: Heat to 680-720°C, cool slowly in furnace. This will produce a maximum Brinell hardness of 213. Stress Relieving: Stress relieving to remove machining stress should be carried out by heating to approx. 600-650°C, holding for 1-2 hours at heat, followed by air cooling. This operation is performed to reduce distortion during heat treatment.
Hardening: Harden from a temperature of 760-800°C followed by water. Hardness after quenching is 65 HRC.
Chemical Composition:
| C |
Co |
Cr |
Mn |
Mo |
Ni |
P |
S |
Si |
V |
W |
| 0.95 - 1.50 |
|
0.15 Max. |
0.30 - 0.40 |
0.10 Max. |
|
|
|
0.10 - 0.25 |
0.10 Max. |
0.15 Max. |
| Treatment |
Temperature Range |
Cooling/Quenching |
Notes |
| Forging |
1700-1900° F |
In air. |
Heat slowly to maximum temperature. Forging should begin as soon as the section is uniformly heated through. |
| Annealing |
1400-1450° F |
Cool slowly in the furnace at a maximum rate of 50° F per hours.. |
Protect against surface decarburization by pack-annealing. Hold at temperature for 1 hour. |
| Stress Relieving |
1200-1250° F |
Cool slowly in air. |
Stress relieve after rough machining |
| Preheating |
1200-1250° F |
|
Preheat time in furnace is ¾ Hr. per inch of thickness |
| Hardening |
1375-1450° F |
In water or in a brine solution. |
Small tools or parts may be heated in molten lead or in a salt bath. Soak time is 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Minimum of 30 minutes. |
| Tempering |
|
|
Temper immediately after hardening and quenching. Recommended temperature is 350- |
| W-1 Tool Steel |
| Heat treat temperature |
1450-1600°F |
| Quench |
Water or Brine |
| Hardness |
Rockwell 56c |
| Applications |
Blacksmith tools
Cold Chisels
Hand punches
Cold Forming Tools
Knives
Scissors and Shears
Razors
Woodworking Chisels |
| Disadvantages |
Water hardening tool steels tend to experience significant distortion during the quench operation. In addition, the hardening operation applies only to the outer "case" of the material, rather than being "through-hardened". |
Physical properties (avarage values) at ambient temperature
Modulus of elasticity [103 x N/mm2]: 210
Density [g/cm³]: 7.85
Thermal conductivity [W/m.K]: 45.0
Electric resistivity [Ohm mm2/m]: 0.20
Specific heat capacity[J/g.K]: 0.46
Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion 10-6 °C-1
| 20-100°C |
20-200°C |
20-300°C |
20-400°C |
20-500°C |
| 11.1 |
12.1 |
12.9 |
13.5 |
13.9 |
Continuous Cooling Transformation (CCT) Diagram
Time-Temperature Transformation (TTT) Diagram
Tempering: Tempering temperature: See the data bellow.
Tempering Temperature (°C) vs. Hardness (HRC)
| 100°C |
200°C |
300°C |
400°C |
450°C |
| 67 |
64 |
56 |
48 |
45 |
Tempering Diagram
1.2080|1.2083|1.2311|1.2344|1.2363|1.2379|1.2436|1.2510|1.2550|1.2767|1.2842|1.3343
AISI O1|AISI W1|AISI D2|AISI D3|AISI D6|AISI A2|AISI H13|AISI S1|AISI S7|AISI P20|AISI M2|AISI M42
1008|1010|1015|1018|1020|1025|1035|1040|1045|1050|1117|1141|1144|12L14|1215|4140 | 4150 | 4340|8620 | A36|A653|A513
|
