A press-working apparatus capable of forming a clear character line. The press-working apparatus forms a product having a character line. The press-working apparatus comprises an upper die and a lower die arranged across a steel sheet, an upper die mechanism for moving the upper die toward and away from the lower die, a first holder and a second holder for clamping the steel sheet and applying an unwrinkling force to the same, and a control unit for controlling the upper die mechanism and the first holder. The upper die is divided on the character line of the product into a first upper die and a second upper die. The control unit makes the unwrinkling force by the first holder stronger than that by the second holder, so that the steel sheet is press-worked by the second upper die and then by the first upper die.