Odd question for AR500

1

I cut some target gongs out of 1/2" AR500 and have a bunch of small scrap pieces left over. I was thinking of cutting hemming dies or goose neck dies for my 20 ton finger brake out of the thin, oddball scraps I have left. I understand AR500 is tempered/hardened and “abrasion resistant” but is ok to use as a die? Is it brittle compared to mild or stainless steel? Not that I ever bend anything insanely thick or max out the machine. But I wouldn’t want to risk a die fracturing/exploding from stress like a cast steel part could, for example.

Normally I wouldn’t pick AR500 for making these die sets it would be a great use of the scraps if the properties of the metal are fine for dies. Google didn’t turn up much, this probably isn’t a common question.

2

AR500 should work fine. It is not that hard that its brittle or it would crack and break when hit with a bullet.

3

Very true, i guess it still bends and pits with big caliber rounds. Never really cracks.

4

Pretty sure the worse that could happen, is it could crack if bent to far. When i first got my swag offroad press brake kit I bent some random drops I had around the shop. I had some 3/8" and 1/2" pieces of cold roll, both of which cracked on outside of the bend.