Griggs Steel supplies high-quality HSS steel (high speed steel) sourced from the best steel mills in the world. We understand that our customers will only work with tool steel suppliers that can consistently deliver product that can meet the most demanding applications. We cab provide a mill certificate of quality when you order from us.
Tooling applications call for steel that has impressive durability even when used consistently in high-temperature settings. We have a selection of grades available in block sheets and plates. When you are shopping tool steel suppliers for high speed steel, make Griggs Steel your first choice.
We can produce any size high speed steel flat from our extensive block sheet and plate inventory.
HSS is short for high speed steel. It is a type of tool steel that is used in applications such as cutting, drilling and punching. Some of these types of steel have numerous names, such as CPM REX M4 steel, PM M3, ASP 2060, T1 and S600.
Compared to many other alloys, HSS can handle high temperatures without compromising its hardness. Therefore, it can keep an edge even when used extensively such as in manufacturing environments.
Typically, HSS steel is used on powered tools and machines in saw blades, drills, taps, mills, routers and similar items. It can handle the high speeds of these applications with minimal deformation. In some cases, HSS is also used for premium hand tools that need very high hardness and an ability to maintain a durable edge.
This type of steel is made of a steel substrate and metal carbide that can include molybdenum, vanadium or tungsten carbide. The combination of the substrate and carbide helps give HSS its impressive characteristics. High speed can be brittle due to its extreme hardness, so it isn’t recommended for applications requiring malleable steel. However, it performs excellently as tool steel.
HSS is advantageous for tooling because it offers superior durability compared to other common alloys. In many cases, it can be used at higher speeds and achieve greater continuous productivity.
Perhaps more importantly, however, HSS requires very little maintenance relative to common alternatives. Tools using HSS steel can be kept running longer without downtime. This benefit translates directly to bottom-line performance. Using Griggs Steel high speed steel can help keep production costs down and ensure the long-time financial viability of a production line.
Furthermore, certain applications require the hardness and abrasion resistance of HSS to be feasible. For example, PM 60 is well-suited for highly demanding cold work and can outperform all other commonly used materials in terms of red hardness and toughness.
At Griggs Steel, we offer a variety of high speed steel grades. These can be categorized as molybdenum, powdered metallurgy and molybdenum/tungsten using powdered metallurgy.
These grades include M2, M3, M4, M7 and M42. They are very commonly used with M2 being the most popular form of HSS steel. Molybdenum-based HSS has well-balanced toughness, wear resistance and red hardness. The higher numbered grades include more carbon and vanadium contents, resulting in superior performance.
M42 grade HSS features 8% to 10% cobalt. It is popular in the metal manufacturing industry thanks to its superior red hardness.
These high alloyed tool steels are made using powder metallurgy. Our available grades include PM 23 and PM 60.
They offer extremely high compressive strength and good abrasion resistance. This makes them suitable for demanding cold work applications such as drills, taps and gear cutters.
We also offer grades that are molybdenum and tungsten HSS made using powdered metallurgy. These grades include PM M4, PM T15, PM A11 and PM M48.
These grades provide excellent bend strength, a result of fine grain size, superior cleanliness and small carbides. They are excellent choices for applications requiring extended tool life.