K110 Steel

Description

K110 is a wear-resistant tool steel from Böhler-Uddeholm, equivalent to AISI D2. A “High Carbon, High Chromium” steel with about 12 % chromium and 1.55 % carbon. As a conventionally produced ingot steel (not PM), it offers good wear resistance with moderate toughness.

Composition

Element	Content
Carbon (C)	1.55 %
Chromium (Cr)	11.8 %
Molybdenum (Mo)	0.8 %
Vanadium (V)	0.8 %
Manganese (Mn)	0.3 %
Silicon (Si)	0.2 %

Properties

Property	Value	Rating (1-10)
Hardness	58–62 HRC	—
Toughness	Moderate (coarser carbides than PM)	4/10
Corrosion Resistance	Limited (Cr bound in carbides)	5/10
Wear Resistance	High (chromium carbides)	7/10
Grindability	Moderate	5/10

Heat Treatment

Step	Temperature / Duration
Austenitizing	1000–1020 °C (1830–1870 °F)
Quench	Oil or air
Tempering	205–260 °C (400–500 °F, 2×)
Achievable Hardness	58–62 HRC

Equivalent Designations

Standard	Designation
AISI	D2
DIN	X153CrMoV12, X165CrMoV12
JIS	SKD11
W-Nr	1.2379, 1.2397

Steel	Type	Wear Resistance	Toughness	Corrosion
K110	Conventional	High	4/10	5/10
D2	Conventional	High	4/10	5/10
CPM-D2	PM	High	6/10	6/10
K390	PM High-Performance	Very high	5/10	4/10
K100	Conventional	Moderate	5/10	5/10

Pros and Cons

Pros:

Good wear resistance due to chromium carbides
Equivalent to D2 — proven performance
Widely available (European alternative to D2)
Cost-effective compared to PM steels
Air hardening — low distortion

Cons:

Conventional production → coarser carbides than PM
Limited corrosion resistance
Moderate toughness
Not suitable for extreme applications

Conclusion

K110 is Böhler-Uddeholm’s equivalent to AISI D2. As a conventionally produced tool steel, it offers good wear resistance with moderate toughness. A cost-effective alternative to PM steels for applications that don’t require extreme performance.