Normal high speed steels are used widely, 75% of total amount of high speed steel consumption. Normal HSS refers to the carbon content of 0.7%~0.9%. It is usually classifed th high speed steel into tungsten serial and molybdenum serial according to different content of tungsten and molybdenum.  Main brands are W6Mo5Cr4V2 (M2) and W9Mo3Cr4V (W9), earlier tungsten high speed steel is W18Cr4V (W18) which is rarely used nowadays.
    M2 high speed steel is widely used brand in the cutting tool markets. Because of 1%Mo in lieu of 1.8%W, this reduces total alloying element content in the steel, resulting in less quantity and less carbide inhomogeneity. This is helful in enhancing ductility, flexural strength and taughness of the steel. Therefore high temperature ductility and toughness of M2 is better than that of W18, which can be chosen as the tool materials for twist drill. Disadvantages of the grades are decarburization sensitivity at high temperature and poor grindability.
    W9Mo3Cr4V (M2) and W9Mo3Cr4V (W9) belong to tungsten and molybdenum serial high speed steel
    W9 tungsten and molybdenum high speed steel is the grade developed according to resource in China. Its proportion of W-Mo is between the proportion of W18 and M2. Flexural strength is better than W18, similar to M2. Decarbonization sensitivity and overheating sensitivity during heat treatment is better than that of M2. High temperature ductility is good, so is grindability and hot hardness resulting in good cutting performance. Old tungsten high speed steel W18Cr4V (W18) is rarely used nowadays. But the advantages of W18 are good at getting sharpening egde (low vanadium content), low overheating tendency during quenching process. Disadvantage are low hot plasticity, high production costs, poor distribution of carbide particles of large, horny form, it is not suitable to be selected as rolling drills or large cross sections cutting tool.