A forging die stack comprising a top and bottom die set (16, 18) positioned on a pusher plate in a die holder; characterized in that die stack components are contoured to provide two conical tapers to redistribute radial and axial internal stress distributions in the die stack to redistribute the internal stress on components beneath the die stack in radial directions away from the center, wherein: A: a top surface of the pusher plate and a bottom surface of the die holder comprise conical surfaces with radial tapers, wherein the radial taper of the pusher plate top surface is a positive radial taper wherein thickness of the pusher plate is greatest at a central region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outer edge and wherein the radial taper of the die holder bottom surface is a negative taper wherein thickness of the die holder is smallest at a central region and increases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outside edge; or B: top and bottom surfaces (36, 37) of the pusher plate comprise conical surfaces with radial tapers, wherein the radial taper of the top surface of the pusher plate is a positive radial taper wherein the height of the pusher plate is greatest at a center region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outer edge, and the radial taper of the bottom surface of the pusher plate is a negative radial taper wherein the height of the bottom surface of the pusher plate is greatest at a center region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outside edge; or C: top and bottom surfaces (39, 38) of the die holder comprise conical surfaces with radial tapers, wherein the radial taper of the top surface of the die holder is a positive radial taper wherein the height of the die holder is greatest at a center region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outer edge, and the radial taper of the bottom surface of the die holder is a negative radial taper wherein the height of the bottom surface of the die holder is greatest at a center region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outside edge. A: a top surface of the pusher plate and a bottom surface of the die holder comprise conical surfaces with radial tapers, wherein the radial taper of the pusher plate top surface is a positive radial taper wherein thickness of the pusher plate is greatest at a central region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outer edge and wherein the radial taper of the die holder bottom surface is a negative taper wherein thickness of the die holder is smallest at a central region and increases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outside edge; or B: top and bottom surfaces (36, 37) of the pusher plate comprise conical surfaces with radial tapers, wherein the radial taper of the top surface of the pusher plate is a positive radial taper wherein the height of the pusher plate is greatest at a center region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outer edge, and the radial taper of the bottom surface of the pusher plate is a negative radial taper wherein the height of the bottom surface of the pusher plate is greatest at a center region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outside edge; or C: top and bottom surfaces (39, 38) of the die holder comprise conical surfaces with radial tapers, wherein the radial taper of the top surface of the die holder is a positive radial taper wherein the height of the die holder is greatest at a center region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outer edge, and the radial taper of the bottom surface of the die holder is a negative radial taper wherein the height of the bottom surface of the die holder is greatest at a center region and decreases outwardly in a radial direction toward an outside edge.