30Cr13 — 30Cr13 Martensitic Stainless Steel — is a stainless steel supplied at HRC 50-55. Its chemistry centres on 0.26-0.40% carbon and 12.0-14.0% chromium. Corrosion-resistant martensitic stainless for food-contact and wet-environment cutting. It is available from stock as precision-ground hardened round bar from Φ2 to Φ100 mm, and as machined rotary die bodies made to drawing.
What 30Cr13 is, and where it fits
Grade selection is about matching the dominant failure mode. 30Cr13's role in the range is clear: corrosion resistance in wet and food-contact service. If your dies fail by gradual wear, prioritise wear resistance. If they chip or crack, prioritise toughness — which usually means accepting a slightly lower hardness.
- GB (China)
- 3Cr13 / 30Cr13
- AISI / ASTM (US)
- 420 / S42000
- JIS (Japan)
- SUS420J2
- DIN / W-Nr (Germany)
- 1.4028 / X30Cr13
- BS (UK)
- 420S45
- NF / AFNOR (France)
- Z30C13
- UNI (Italy)
- X30Cr13
- GOST (Russia)
- 40Kh13
Working hardness and what each band is for
30Cr13 hardens across a wide window, and the hardness you choose changes the tool's behaviour more than the grade does. Higher hardness buys wear resistance and edge retention at the cost of toughness; lower hardness does the reverse.
| Band | Hardness | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Primary working range | 50 - 55 | Suitable for standard production tooling |
| Secondary range | 45 - 50 | Where the application calls for more toughness or more wear resistance |
| Annealed | 20 - 30 | Rough turning, Milling, Pre-heat treatment |
30Cr13 for hardened round bar and rotary dies
| Product line | Suitability | Working hardness | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| hardened round bar | Available but not first choice (3/5) | HRC 50-55 | Food-contact cutting blades, Corrosion-resistant die blades |
| custom rotary dies | Available but not first choice (3/5) | HRC 50-55 | Wet-environment slitting rollers, Food-grade rotary cutters |
When to choose 30Cr13 — and when not to
| Choose 30Cr13 when… | Look at another grade when… |
|---|---|
| The die or blade runs wet, or is washed down between shifts | Abrasive or mineral-filled stock is being cut — 9Cr18Mo holds an edge far longer |
| Food-contact and medical tooling where staining on a standard tool steel is rejected | You need more than HRC 55; 30Cr13 tops out below the tool-steel grades |
| The stock is soft and the priority is corrosion resistance rather than peak hardness |
Related grades and guides for 30Cr13
30Cr13 FAQ
30Cr13 (30Cr13 Martensitic Stainless Steel) is used for corrosion-resistant, food-contact, wet environment applications. Corrosion-resistant martensitic stainless for food-contact and wet-environment cutting In practice it is supplied as hardened round bar for die making and as machined rotary die bodies, at 50-55 in normal production.