Steel L2
AISI/SAE L2 · UNS T61202
L2 is a chromium–vanadium low-alloy oil-hardening tool steel (UNS T61202) from the AISI L special-purpose group, with fine grain, good toughness and moderate wear resistance.
Reference datasheet — L2 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the ANN condition
L2 tempers and conditions
L2 is supplied in 9 conditions, soft to hard. ANN is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 9 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ANNDefault Annealed | Standard stocked condition for machining tools and parts before hardening. | 510 | 710 | 25 | 183 HB | — |
Hot rolled | Mill-finish rolled bar taken for re-forging or as-purchased blanks that will be annealed then hardened. | 560 | 850 | 18 | 22 HRC | 7.8 % IACS |
Cold Drawn, annealed base | Choose for close-tolerance shafting and tool blanks needing minimal cleanup before hardening. | 620 | 790 | 16 | 17 HRC | 7.8 % IACS |
Oil quenched + tempered 650 °C | Pre-hardened machinable condition for structural machine components that will not be re-heat-treated. | 760 | 930 | 20 | 31 HRC | — |
Oil quenched + tempered 540 °C | High-toughness machine-part condition for shafts, gears and springs made from the lower-carbon L2 variant. | 1,105 | 1,240 | 14 | 40 HRC | — |
Oil quenched + tempered 425 °C | Tough working hardness for chisels, spindles, arbors and impact-loaded tooling. | 1,380 | 1,550 | 10 | 46 HRC | — |
Oil quenched + tempered 315 °C | Balanced hardness/toughness for shear blades, forming dies and heavily loaded punches. | 1,550 | 1,790 | 8 | 52 HRC | — |
Oil quenched + tempered 205 °C | Maximum hardness condition for punches, blanking dies, taps and knurls where wear resistance dominates. | 1,790 | 2,070 | 5 | 56 HRC | — |
Hardened | L2 austenitized ~845–870 °C and oil quenched to full martensitic hardness with only a minimal stress-relief temper, giving maximum hardness and wear resistance but low toughness; used for chisels, punches, knurls and shear blades that are ground to size. | 1,800 | 2,150 | 2 | 61 HRC | 33 W/m·K |
What is L2?
L2 is a chromium–vanadium low-alloy oil-hardening tool steel (UNS T61202) from the AISI L special-purpose group, with fine grain, good toughness and moderate wear resistance. It is available as annealed, hot-rolled or cold-drawn-annealed bar (183 HB, 710 MPa tensile, 510 MPa yield, 25 % elongation) and is oil quenched then tempered between 205 and 650 °C to set the hardness–toughness balance. Machinability is about 55 (roughly 65 % of AISI 1212) and maximum service temperature is 400 °C. The steel has no corrosion resistance, so parts need oil, black oxide or plating; O1 is the usual alternative when more wear resistance is required. L2 has a density of 7.86 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 90% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F). L2 has a yield strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 710 MPa (103 ksi) — stronger than 65% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 25% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
What is L2 used for?
- arbors and collets
- cutting tools
- machine tool parts
- gauges
- wear-resistant pins and rolls
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 25%, better than 77% of steel grades
Limitations
- Poor heat conductor — 34 W/m·K (19.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 77% of steel grades
- Difficult to weld — 25/100, worse than 77% of steel grades
L2 properties
Typical room-temperature values for L2-ANN; bars are the position among steel grades.
Physical3
L2 has a density of 7.86 g/cm³ (0.284 lb/in³), heavier than 90% of steel grades. It melts at 1,420°C (2,588 °F).
Mechanical15
L2 has a yield strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 710 MPa (103 ksi) — stronger than 65% of steel grades. Elongation at break is 25% and the elastic modulus is 210 GPa (30.5 Msi).
Thermal6
L2 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 34 W/m·K (19.6 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 77% of steel grades. Thermal expansion is 12.4 µm/m·K (6.89 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
L2 conducts electricity at 7.8 % IACS, worse than 57% of steel grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is not recommended (12/100), worse than 53% of steel grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of L2 takes about 31 MJ of energy and emits 2.3 kg of CO₂ — more than 64% of steel grades. Typical recycled content is 35%.
Manufacturability8
L2's machinability is good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades); weldability poor (25/100); formability fair (40/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the steel family
Yield strength against density for every steel grade FabDigit runs. L2 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with L2
Is L2 easy to machine?
Machine in the annealed condition (~65 % of AISI 1212) with sharp carbide or M2 HSS tooling; above 45 HRC switch to grinding, EDM or CBN.
Can L2 be welded?
Not intended for welding — if repair is unavoidable, preheat 300–400 °C, use a matching or low-hydrogen Cr-V filler and re-temper immediately.
Can L2 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot work at 900–1080 °C with slow cooling and a full spheroidize anneal (760–790 °C, slow cool) afterwards; cold forming is limited to mild bending of annealed stock.
L2 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Ccarbon level selected by application: ~0.50 % for tough machine parts, ~1.00 % for wear tooling | 0.45 – 1 | 0.7 |
| Mn | 0.1 – 0.9 | 0.5 |
| Si | ≤ 0.5 | 0.25 |
| Cr | 0.7 – 1.2 | 1 |
| Vgrain refiner | 0.1 – 0.3 | 0.2 |
| P | ≤ 0.03 | |
| S | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Fe | balance |
What surface finishes work on L2?
Fine grain permits a good ground and polished finish; protect the bare surface by oiling, black oxide, phosphating, nitriding or hard chrome — no anodizing.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on steel parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
Organic Coating
Black / Phosphate
Thermal Spray
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Steel L2 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- T61202
How much does L2 cost?
L2 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
L2 — frequently asked
What is L2 used for?
L2 is typically used for arbors and collets, cutting tools, machine tool parts, gauges and wear-resistant pins and rolls. In short: tough oil-hardening Cr-V steel; wide tempering range; fine grain, good polish.
What is the yield strength of L2?
L2 has a typical yield strength of 510 MPa (74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 710 MPa (103 ksi) — stronger than 65% of steel grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is L2 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (55/100, better than 62% of steel grades). Machine in the annealed condition (~65 % of AISI 1212) with sharp carbide or M2 HSS tooling; above 45 HRC switch to grinding, EDM or CBN.
Can L2 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (25/100). Not intended for welding — if repair is unavoidable, preheat 300–400 °C, use a matching or low-hydrogen Cr-V filler and re-temper immediately.
What surface finishes work on L2?
Fine grain permits a good ground and polished finish; protect the bare surface by oiling, black oxide, phosphating, nitriding or hard chrome — no anodizing.
Can L2 be formed, bent or molded?
Hot work at 900–1080 °C with slow cooling and a full spheroidize anneal (760–790 °C, slow cool) afterwards; cold forming is limited to mild bending of annealed stock.
What is the maximum service temperature of L2?
L2 is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between L2-ANN and L2 Hard?
ANN is the default condition — standard stocked condition for machining tools and parts before hardening. Hard: l2 austenitized ~845–870 °C and oil quenched to full martensitic hardness with only a minimal stress-relief temper, giving maximum hardness and wear resistance but low toughness; used for chisels, punches, knurls and shear blades that are ground to size. Yield strength is 510 MPa in ANN versus 1,800 MPa in Hard.
How much does L2 cost?
L2 is a standard-cost steel ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM A681 — Standard Specification for Tool Steels Alloy — ASTM International (2022)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 1: Properties and Selection: Irons, Steels, and High-Performance Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- Tool Steels, 5th Edition (Roberts, Krauss, Kennedy) — ASM International (1998)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 16: Machining — ASM International (1989)
- UNS T61202 alloy record — SAE/ASTM Unified Numbering System (2020)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.