So I love materials, I have allot of HSS knives pushing 64-65Rc, and even some Tantung blades (cobalt based proprietary competitor of Stellite), and I have even dabbled in tungsten carbide. My first attempt was converting a carbide tipped planer knife into a blade, but it was a chunky grind, and the C2 grade carbide was to brittle and chippy not real great. So this time I talked to the people at carbide processors, and they hooked me up with a tougher grade of carbide QC-110, which I have been highly impressed with so far. After I had it cased up in carbon fiber it took a nasty beating on the buffer which I thought for sure would have broken it, but no. It came to me looking like this. what you cant see in this picture is that the carbide is only 1/32" thick!
Then I wrapped it in carbon fiber, well actually its half carbon fiber half fiber glass, but all cool.
and got this
Conclusion: I hate carbon fiber, of these two materials, CF, and WC I would rather machien the WC, if you work CF make sure to wear a respirator! this stuf made me itch like crazy, I cant imagine what it would do in your lungs. Tungsten carbide is like steel there are dozens of grades, and some are quite tough; there has been huge advancement in recent years. I havn't cut a whole lot, but so far it seems really much bettrer than people say. Of course I am really careful with it.
Edit: I also got the carbide cryo treated note sure if it really helps, but I've read it can improve toughness. something about the formation of eta carbides, and possible phase transformation of the cobalt binder.
Then I wrapped it in carbon fiber, well actually its half carbon fiber half fiber glass, but all cool.
and got this
Conclusion: I hate carbon fiber, of these two materials, CF, and WC I would rather machien the WC, if you work CF make sure to wear a respirator! this stuf made me itch like crazy, I cant imagine what it would do in your lungs. Tungsten carbide is like steel there are dozens of grades, and some are quite tough; there has been huge advancement in recent years. I havn't cut a whole lot, but so far it seems really much bettrer than people say. Of course I am really careful with it.
Edit: I also got the carbide cryo treated note sure if it really helps, but I've read it can improve toughness. something about the formation of eta carbides, and possible phase transformation of the cobalt binder.
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