Service

Reconditioning of Carbide Drawing Dies

Reconditioning is our regrinding service for worn tungsten carbide drawing dies and drawing tools: the die is inspected, reground to the next possible size and re-polished. The result is a like-new drawing tool at considerably lower cost than a replacement. Regrinding has been one of our particular strengths since 1948 — carried out entirely in-house at Herborn-Schönbach, Germany.

When does reconditioning pay off?

Drawing dies wear in service — the typical pattern is ring wear at the wire's first point of contact, which accelerates itself if left untreated. As long as the carbide core is sound, the die does not need replacing: it is recut to the next size in your drawing schedule or — with light wear — re-polished without a size change. How to recognise wear and decide is covered in our guide Reconditioning or replacement?

Two stages of reconditioning

Re-polishing: with early wear it is enough to polish the die bore back to a mirror finish — the diameter is preserved. Recutting: with advanced wear (drawing rings, scoring) the geometry is reground; the die grows to the next possible size and continues at full performance there.

How the service works

  1. Send in

    ship us the worn tools with a simple delivery note. For recurring regrinding cycles we are happy to set up a fixed routine.

  2. Inspection

    we assess wear pattern and core condition and report what makes economic sense: re-polishing, recutting — or, rarely, replacement.

  3. Regrinding & polishing

    internal grinding to the new geometry, then polishing; as with new tools, the surface finish is achieved largely by hand with diamond compounds.

  4. Report & return

    with an inspection report on request; permanent marking by needle embosser or laser documents the new size.

Request reconditioning — briefly describe the tools and sizes involved; we handle the rest. Direct line: +49 2777 7608.

Request reconditioning

Polishing in-house?

For plants that maintain their own tooling we supply the material from stock: diamond suspensions in grit sizes from 3 to 45 µm and electroplated diamond grinding pins for carbide bores from about 1.2 mm. Our shop is in German — English inquiries are always welcome. The grit sequence is explained in How to polish drawing dies.

0,2–150 mm

Measured, documented, reground to the next size.

Frequently asked questions

How many times can a drawing die be reconditioned?

That depends on wear progression and on your drawing schedule: each recut grows the bore to the next size. As long as the carbide core is intact and the next size is needed in your schedule, reconditioning pays off repeatedly. A blanket number would be misleading — we assess every die individually.

What does reconditioning cost compared to a new die?

Reconditioning delivers a like-new drawing tool at considerably lower cost than buying new. The exact price depends on die size and wear pattern — you receive a clear quotation after incoming inspection.

Does Leng recondition dies from other manufacturers?

We inspect every carbide drawing tool sent in, regardless of origin, and report whether and how it can be reconditioned economically.

Do you serve customers outside Germany?

Yes — our English inquiry route is exactly for that. Shipping arrangements for reconditioning cycles are agreed individually.