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Carbide tools have a carbide-based tip or work surface and are attached to a steel base. They offer advantages over standard steel tools, including slower wear, higher temperature resistance, and cleaner cuts. They can be sharpened with a diamond or carbide wheel.
A carbide tool refers to any metal tool with a carbide-based tip or work surface. This includes hand tools such as screwdrivers and handsaws as well as large-scale equipment such as wood routers or industrial cutting machines. Many drills use carbide tips, and most woodworking tools and saws have carbide cutting blades. The carbide used to make these tools is a mixture of carbon and another element, typically tungsten or silicon.
The standard carbide tool is not made of pure carbide. Instead, the tool is made of steel or another inexpensive metal. A carbide tip or blade is then attached to the steel base via a brazing process. For example, a typical carbide saw blade is constructed primarily of steel. The cutting teeth around the edge of the blade, made from carbide, are then joined to the circular base to form a complete blade.
It is rare for manufacturers to build a carbide tool from pure carbide for a variety of reasons. First, while carbide makes an excellent cutting or work surface, it tends to be too brittle to be used as a base material. Steel tool construction and the addition of a carbide tip improves the overall strength and life of the tool while also using the strongest possible cutting surface. Carbide is also very expensive, so using a cheaper base material helps make these tools accessible to a larger consumer base.
Carbide tools offer many advantages over standard steel or composite tools. Carbide tends to wear much slower than steel and is able to withstand higher temperatures without damage. This ability to accommodate high temperatures means these tools can be used safely for extended periods in most manufacturing equipment. Thanks to its high resistance, it produces very clean cuts, resulting in a better quality product or finish. A carbide tool also lasts longer than a steel one, which means less maintenance and longer production cycles for industrial users.
A carbide tool can be sharpened to restore performance and remove dull edges after extended use. Because carbide is so strong, however, this process requires a very hard material. Generally, a diamond or carbide wheel is required to sharpen carbide tools. While these wheels are quite expensive, they are some of the only materials strong enough to sharpen carbide and help extend the life of carbide tools. Most of these tools can be sharpened over and over again until the carbide tip or cutting surface is completely gone.
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