Starrett 57600 A2 Tool Steel Air-hardening Flat Stock

Product Description

The STARRETT 57600 is an A2 air-hardening tool steel flat stock bar intended for toolmakers, die makers, machinists, and maintenance professionals who need precision-ground raw material for fabricating punches, dies, gauges, and cutting tools. The bar measures 3/8 inches thick, 1-3/4 inches wide, and 18 inches long, and weighs 3.35 pounds. A2 tool steel offers a good balance of wear resistance, toughness, and dimensional stability during heat treatment, making it a reliable choice for medium-to-high production tooling applications. Thickness, width, and square tolerances are held to +0.010 to 0.015 inches, and length tolerance is held to +0.25 inches.

This flat stock is suited for machine shops, tool and die shops, and industrial maintenance environments. It is typically used as raw material that is machined, ground, and then heat treated to final hardness. A2 air-hardening steel reaches final hardness through an air-quench cycle, which reduces the risk of warping and cracking compared to oil- or water-hardened grades. It is appropriate for applications requiring moderate shock resistance alongside good wear properties, such as blanking dies, forming dies, trimming dies, and precision gauges.

Key Features

• A2 air-hardening tool steel provides good dimensional stability during heat treatment
• Thickness 3/8 inches, width 1-3/4 inches, length 18 inches
• Thickness tolerance: +0.010 to 0.015 inches
• Width tolerance: +0.010 to 0.015 inches
• Square tolerance: +0.010 to 0.015 inches
• Length tolerance: +0.25 inches
• Air-quench hardening minimizes distortion compared to liquid-quench grades

Compatibility

Designed as a standard-format A2 tool steel flat stock bar suitable for tool and die fabrication, gauge making, and general precision machining applications where an air-hardening grade is specified.

Installation Notes

Machining and grinding should be performed before heat treatment to take advantage of the material in its annealed state. Heat treatment of A2 tool steel should be performed by a qualified heat treater following established procedures for austenitizing temperature and air-quench cycle. Always use appropriate personal protective equipment when cutting, grinding, or machining tool steel. Consult material safety data and applicable shop safety codes before beginning work.