The optimal shape can minimize the load in extrusion processes and facilitate the operation. The calculation of the realistic friction force between the workpiece and die must take into account of several interface factors, such as lubricant film thickness, workpiece roughness, tooling roughness and the lubricant property. The "optimal shape", can then be obtained by using the combination of rigid-plastic finite element code, realistic friction model and optimization software. In order to verify the realistic friction model, several lubrication conditions were considered ranging from full film lubrication to boundary lubrication. In present investigation, the properties of lubricant, workpiece roughness and tooling roughness were taken as design parameters for studying the change of optimal die-shape. Finally, the comparison between the simulation and experiment agrees very well with each other and thus validate the proposed approach for optimal shape of extrusion processes.