A simple method for measuring contact pressure at a tool-workpiece interface is presented. The strain of the tool near the contact surface is measured using a pipe-type strain gage, and is converted into the pressure. The measured pressure distributions in plastic compression of rectangular blocks almost agreed with those estimated from the strain distribution. The pressure was distributed uniformly over the contact surface in the well-lubricated specimens regardless of the height-to-width ratio of the specimen, H0/L0 Friction hills were observed in the unlubricated specimens with H0/L0=0. 25 and 0. 5. A concave pressure distribution was obtained for the specimen with H0/L0=1, where the pressure increased from the center to the periphery of the contact surface. The present method can be applied to measure die pressure in practical metalworking processes.