Starrett 54546 A2 Tool Steel Flat Stock 1/8x1x36 in

Product Description

The STARRETT 54546 is an A2 air-hardening tool steel flat stock bar intended for toolmakers, machinists, and die makers who need a precision-ground blank ready for heat treatment. Measuring 0.125 inches thick, 1 inch wide, and 36 inches long, this flat stock ships in an annealed condition for ease of machining before hardening. Thickness and squareness tolerances are held to plus or minus 0.001 inches, and width tolerance runs from plus 0.000 to plus 0.005 inches. AISI A2 tool steel offers good dimensional stability during air hardening, making it a reliable choice for punches, dies, gauges, and forming tools where warpage must be minimized.

This flat stock is suited for machine shops, tool-and-die operations, and maintenance departments in light industrial and heavy manufacturing environments. Typical applications include fabricating blanking dies, trim dies, forming tools, wear plates, and precision gauging components. The 36-inch length provides enough material to cut multiple blanks from a single piece. A2 grade is widely specified where a balance of toughness and wear resistance is required and where oil-hardening distortion is unacceptable.

Key Features

• AISI A2 air-hardening tool steel — minimal distortion during heat treatment compared to oil-hardening grades
• Thickness tolerance of plus or minus 0.001 inches for consistent stock removal calculations
• Width tolerance held to plus 0.000 to plus 0.005 inches
• Squareness tolerance of plus or minus 0.001 inches; edge squareness 0.003 inches per inch
• Length tolerance of plus 0.25 inches — allows for facing and squaring to final length
• Ships annealed for machinability prior to hardening and tempering

Compatibility

Designed as a standard AISI A2 air-hardening tool steel flat blank compatible with conventional tool-and-die fabrication workflows requiring 0.125-inch by 1-inch cross-section stock in 36-inch bar lengths.

Installation Notes

Machining, grinding, and heat treatment of tool steel should be performed by a qualified toolmaker or machinist familiar with A2 grade processing requirements. Follow all applicable shop safety procedures when cutting, grinding, or handling flat stock edges. Heat treatment — including hardening and tempering — requires controlled atmosphere or properly monitored equipment to achieve target hardness; consult the material data sheet for recommended thermal cycles. Wear appropriate PPE including cut-resistant gloves when handling bar stock with sharp edges.