All Episodes

December 25, 2013 2 mins

Many cutting tools are made of materials like steel but have carbide tips, which stay sharper longer. Learn more about carbide tips in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Audible dot com is the leading provider of downloadable digital
audio books and spoken word entertainment. Audible has over one
thousand titles to choose from to be downloaded to your
iPod or MP three player. Go to audible podcast dot
com slash brain stuff to get a free audio book
download of your choice when you sign up today. Welcome
to Brainstuff from hastaff works dot com where smart happens.

(00:31):
Hi'm Marshall Brain with today's question, what are carbide tips?
When you buy a saw blade or a drill bit,
it'll often say carbide tipped. Carbide or more specifically tungsten.
Carbide is a very common material on any sort of
cutting tool. For example, sab blades, lave bits, drill bits,

(00:53):
router bits, and dental drilling tips are usually made out
of carbide. Carbide is so popular in these sorts of
tools because it stays sharper longer than most other materials. Additionally,
some ballpoint pens use carbide balls because it helps the
pen to last longer. With something like a carbide tip,
sob blade, the main body of the blade is made

(01:15):
of steel. The small tips of carbide are brazed onto
that steel body. A good carbide tip might hold an
edge ten to twenty times longer than a steel tip.
Carbide tips do get dull. Eventually you sharpen them using
the same techniques you would use to sharpen steel, but
because they are so hard, you use a different abrasive.

(01:38):
Something coated in diamond or a carbide abrasive wheel is common.
If you've read how diamonds work, you know that diamond
or pure crystalline carbon is the hardest material there is.
Moistenite or silicon carbide is very close. Tungsten carbide and
titanium carbide are both made of the metal combined with

(01:59):
car urban, and they are also very hard. Tools aren't
made entirely of carbide, partly because it would be very expensive,
but also because the tool would be very brittle. Steel
is actually a better material for the body of the
tool because it's tougher and it's less likely to crack
or shatter. And you do you have any ideas or

(02:21):
suggestions for this podcast? If so, please send me an
email at podcast at how stuff works dot com. For
more on this and thousands of other topics, go to
how stuff works dot com and be sure to check
out the brain stuff blog on the how stuff works
dot com home page. Streaming TV shows and movies directly

(02:42):
to your home is a breeze with Netflix. As a
Netflix member, you can instantly watch TV and movies on
your PC, Mac, mobile device, or television. Get a free
thirty day trial membership. Go to Netflix dot com slash
stuff and sign up today.

BrainStuff News

Advertise With Us

Follow Us On

Hosts And Creators

Josh Clark

Josh Clark

Jonathan Strickland

Jonathan Strickland

Ben Bowlin

Ben Bowlin

Lauren Vogelbaum

Lauren Vogelbaum

Cristen Conger

Cristen Conger

Christian Sager

Christian Sager

Show Links

AboutStore

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Dateline NBC

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.