This invention is aimed at providing a cold working die steel successfully reduced in the
hardness, and increased in readiness in the cold workability (
forging, pressing and so forth) and
machinability (milling, drilling, endmilling
processing,
grinding and lathe turning). A cold working die steel aimed at solving the above-described subject consists essentially of, in % by
mass, 0.6%≦C≦1.60%, 0.10%≦Si≦1.20%, 0.10%≦Mn≦0.60%, 5.5%≦Cr≦13.0%, 0.80%≦Mo+0.5W≦2.10%, 0.10%≦V≦0.40%, 0.0002%≦O≦0.0080%, 0.001%≦A1≦0.10%, and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurities; has transformation point Ar3 in the range from 750° C. to 850° C., with both ends inclusive; has a mean circle-equivalent
diameter of a
carbide, which belongs to a circle-equivalent
diameter range from 0.1 μm to 3 μm observed in a section of a structure obtained after spherodizing a sample that was heated at a temperature of (Ar3+50° C.) or above and 1,050° C. or below, of 0.25 μm to 0.8 μm, with both ends inclusive; has a Brinell
hardness attained after the spherodizing of HB179 to HB235, with both ends inclusive; has a steel cleanliness of (dB+dC)60×400 in the group C inclusion and the group B inclusion specified by JIS G0555 of 0.05% or less; and has a K value defined as Cr(%)−6.8×C(%) of 0.1 to 3.5, both ends inclusive.