QuotedPartCost guides · Updated 2026-10-30
What do D2, A2 and H13 tool steels cost per pound?
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The catalog assumptions here are $6.00/lb for annealed D2 and $7.00/lb for annealed H13. A2 is unpriced because this catalog has no A2 entry and we have no verified offer to substitute. These figures are estimating inputs, not current distributor quotes or scrap-metal values.
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Do not buy a grade name without its condition
The table converts a one-inch solid round, twelve inches long, using each catalog density. Neither entry contains a separate volume price. A rectangle, precision-ground flat or prehardened piece is a different purchase and needs a matching quote. The catalog numbers do not imply that any distributor will supply the displayed size at the calculated amount.
Ask the vendor to identify grade, supply condition, dimensions, tolerances, certification and cut charges. Compare usable stock at the door, including delivery, rather than comparing two pound prices with different allowances. A small premium for a closer blank can be economical if it removes substantial sawing or roughing from a one-off job.
| Material | Small-lot $/lb | Volume $/lb | 1 in round, $/ft | Density g/cm³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tool steel D2, annealed | $6.00 | No separate tier | $15.73 | 7.7 |
| Tool steel H13, annealed | $7.00 | No separate tier | $18.59 | 7.8 |
Soft machining is only the first route
The example insert is a 3 × 2 × 0.5-inch rectangular block with two quarter-inch through holes, machined from 0.625-inch plate at a ±0.005-inch general tolerance. We hold the dimensions and process constant for D2 and H13. Our pricing engine uses their different material prices and relative machining factors; that comparison is not a recommendation to substitute one tool steel for the other.
At ten pieces, the D2 insert is $55.52 each and H13 is $53.60. Both tables stop after annealed machining and ordinary inspection. They exclude vacuum hardening, tempering, straightening, hardness testing, grinding and EDM. A finished die insert can require several of those steps, making raw steel a modest share of the final order.
| Grade | Qty | Setup min/lot | Run min/part at qty | Stock | Setup | Machine/labor | Outside | Markup + floor | Sell/part |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | 1 | 137.5 | 9.80 | $28.02 | $209.04 | $14.25 | $0.00 | $75.39 | $326.70 |
| D2 | 10 | 137.5 | 9.80 | $7.55 | $20.90 | $14.26 | $0.00 | $12.81 | $55.52 |
| D2 | 100 | 137.5 | 9.80 | $7.55 | $2.09 | $14.25 | $0.00 | $7.17 | $31.06 |
| H13 | 1 | 137.5 | 8.00 | $33.10 | $209.04 | $11.40 | $0.00 | $76.06 | $329.60 |
| H13 | 10 | 137.5 | 8.00 | $8.92 | $20.90 | $11.41 | $0.00 | $12.37 | $53.60 |
| H13 | 100 | 137.5 | 8.00 | $8.92 | $2.09 | $11.40 | $0.00 | $6.72 | $29.13 |
Leave room for the post-treatment drawing
If the finished dimensions apply after heat treatment, establish the stock allowance and finishing sequence with the responsible process suppliers. The present geometry leaves no dedicated grinding allowance. Adding an outside-treatment invoice to this table does not by itself create a complete hardened-part routing. Transport between vendors and an inspection after treatment also consume money and calendar time.
For A2, obtain a dated offer for the actual blank and enter it as its own material or purchased-blank cost. Borrowing the D2 price silently would make a complete-looking comparison with an unsupported row. Omitting an unverified price is more useful than giving a buyer a number that cannot be purchased.
The example rates are $95/hour for the VMC and programming, $55 for bench deburr and $75 for inspection. Selling prices include 30% markup, a $65 minimum line and the engine's stock allocation. No market-rate average is implied. Get approval of both material and final hardness requirements before converting this soft-machining budget into a released manufacturing quote.
Tool-steel assumptions
- • D2 annealed $6/lb, density7.7, machining factor0.25; H13 annealed $7/lb, density7.8, factor0.38. No verified distributor offers or A2 price.
- • Conversion Ø1 ×12 in. Insert3 ×2 ×0.5 in, raw0.625 in plate, twoØ0.25 through holes, ±0.005 in; quantities1/10/100.
- • VMC/CAM95, bench55, inspect75 USD/h; 30% markup, $65 line floor, no rules. No hardening, grinding, EDM, certificates, tax or freight.
| Material | Small-lot $/lb | Volume $/lb | 1 in round, $/ft | Density g/cm³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tool steel D2, annealed | $6.00 | No separate tier | $15.73 | 7.7 |
| Tool steel H13, annealed | $7.00 | No separate tier | $18.59 | 7.8 |
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