A role of counter-pressure in grain refinement and character of post-deformation fracture of Al-5� alloy as well as in Mg chip compacting upon equal-channel angular pressing is investigated. It is shown that the distribution of stress-strained state in the specimen cross-section becomes uniform in the presence of the counter-pressure. The materials with low plasticity can be undergone to the said pressing without fracture. A possible implementation of the equal-channel angular pressing with the counter-pressure is given.