He added me on WeChat back in 2022, and today he asked again, “How much does 8433 mold steel cost per kilogram?”
This is already the fourth time someone has asked me how much per kilogram it costs across these two WeChat accounts, so I told him straight up: “We added each other on WeChat back in 2022. At the time, you mentioned that for hot-forged stainless steel, Y4 die steel had a short service life—the dies wore out too quickly, making production unfeasible. I recommended you use 8566, but after I quoted you a price, you said it was too expensive and that there was cheaper 8566 on the market. We haven’t been in touch since.” It’s been so long that I don’t remember the specific mold operating conditions. I’d like to ask: since you’re suddenly inquiring about the heat-resistant steel 8433, what kind of mold are you planning to use it for?
After a rambling conversation lasting over 10 minutes, here’s what I gathered about the operating conditions: hot forging of 20CrMnTi to punch a 22.5 hole. Currently, an H13 punch is being used, and the hole is not machined—it must be burr-free. However, the H13 punch can’t produce many parts before burrs appear on the other end of the product, and the punch wears out too quickly, making production unfeasible. The customer also keeps complaining that the burrs on the products are too large, so they’re looking for a durable die steel.
I explained to him that hot-forging punches require high thermal wear resistance, so the die steel must be selected for its high heat resistance, high hardness, and high toughness.
H13 is a medium-carbon hot-work die steel with a chemical composition of 4Cr5MoSiV1 and a hardness of HRC 50. and while it has good toughness, it has poor heat resistance, low hardness, and poor thermal wear resistance. Its properties make it unsuitable for red forging punches, especially since your punching die will not undergo further machining and requires extremely high thermal wear resistance. H13 simply cannot meet these requirements. You’re trying to turn straw into gold—your expectations are too high—so it’s not suitable. You need to switch to a different die steel.
For hot-forging punches where durability is a priority, I still recommend 8566 die steel, which offers high heat resistance, high hardness, and high toughness. 8566 has heat resistance comparable to that of SKH51 high-speed steel, with a hardness of HRC 58–60, and its toughness is four times that of SKH51. 8566 die steel strikes the perfect balance between high heat resistance, high hardness, and high toughness—something other die steels simply cannot achieve. As Mr. Zhang mentioned, when hot-forging 304 stainless steel, 8566 earned a five-star rating; the product’s surface finish is excellent, and the finished product looks just like a tube.
Your product requires a high surface finish, so 8566 mold steel is more suitable for your hot-forged rods. Although 8433 has 2–3 times the heat resistance of H13, its hardness of HRC 50–54 is likely a bit too low for use as a punch.
After chatting with him for a while, I realized he still couldn’t afford it—he was mainly there to compare prices and learn more about material selection.
So I told him objectively that Wu Dejian mold steel either matches or surpasses the world’s top brands—it’s used by three Fortune 500 companies, and Kyocera has been sourcing it for seven consecutive years. We focus on our proprietary products and do not produce standard steel grades from specific mills. We do not produce anything below the合格品 standard; in fact, we only produce top-grade products, including those that meet the合格品 standard.
The quality of the mold steel we smelt here is exceptional, but the price is high. If you’re looking for something cheaper—if you prefer low prices—then go ahead and buy “Si Chao” mold steel. Their prices are set to match ours. Just like you said in 2022, you wanted it for over 100 per kilogram, but “Si Chao” 8566 is only a few dozen per kilogram. We don’t produce counterfeit goods, so we can’t meet the low price you’re looking for. You’d be better off going to them. When you’re ready to use high-quality materials in the future and can afford the cost of good mold steel, come back to us. Thank you.
When communicating with customers, be sincere, tell the truth, and be polite—don’t hold them up while they’re comparing prices.
*************
Wu Dejian’s tool steel, the chief of staff of the user, bought everything he had used.