Carbide is a very common, and popular material for cutting tools. Or perhaps, more accurately, for cutting tool bits. Saw blades, drill and router bits and lathe bits are frequently made of carbide. One of the main reasons why carbide is so popular is because it stays sharper than most other materials for longer periods of time. A good carbide tip can hold an edge up to 20 times longer than a steel tip. Carbide isn’t used for the whole tool, though – just the cutting tips. A cutting tool made entirely of carbide would be too expensive and too brittle.
What Is Carbide?
Carbide is actually a compound, made up of carbon and any one of a variety of other elements, including metal, silicon or boron. There are many types of carbide, including Aluminum Carbide, Silicon Carbide, Calcium Carbide, Iron Carbide and Tungsten Carbide.
Advantages Of Using Carbide Cutting Tools
In addition to their long-lasting sharpness, carbide-tipped cutting tools have many other advantages, including:
- Durability – A high resistance to wear means tools have a longer working life. This also makes them highly cost-effective.
- Efficiency – carbide tools keep their sharp cutting edge even at high machining temperatures (impact and friction can cause the temperature at the top of the cutting edge can reach as high as 800°C).
- Quality – carbide cutting tools let you achieve a better surface finish quality.
Tips For Using Carbide Cutting Tools
- Always keep your cutting tools sharp.
- Use the largest tool possible for the intended purpose. This helps to dissipate the heat.
- Thin lubricants with paraffin to keep both the tool and the workpiece cool. This is particularly important when heavy cuts are being made at slow speed.
- Once you’ve started the cutting process, don’t stop! This helps avoid work hardening.
At Steelmor, we have a team of qualified and experienced machinists who are committed to supplying you with cost-effective and quality stainless steel products on time, all the time. Why not call and chat with us today to see how we can help you with your machining requirements.