Are Carbide bits solid carbide?

[randyrls]

Are carbide tool bits (CB) solid carbide?
Some one recently told me that they are not solid carbide, but just a coating of carbide. I sharpen my CB with a credit card diamond hone, and have been doing this for years. I recently had to replace one of my CB because I had honed it too thin for the screw to hold the bit firmly.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Curly]

They are solid carbide particles fused together with a binder like cobalt. Hone away without fear.

 

[jttheclockman]

Now that is a 2 sided question because there are solid carbide tools and there are carbide coated tools. So depending what tool you are talking about.

 

[leehljp]

They are solid carbide particles fused together with a binder like cobalt. Hone away without fear.

Growing up, that was what I was taught - cobalt or tungsten. But I have read the words "Carbide coated" concerning tools on few occasions lately, but never stopped to figure out what was meant.

 

[Mortalis]

Now that is a 2 sided question because there are solid carbide tools and there are carbide coated tools. So depending what tool you are talking about.

@randyrls This is correct. Drill bits, Router bits can be carbide coated. Tooling inserts AFAIK are compressed entity with Carbide integral to it's making.
You should ask that someone if they can send you a link to the coated Carbide insert they are referring to.

 

[randyrls]

@randyrls This is correct. Drill bits, Router bits can be carbide coated. Tooling inserts AFAIK are compressed entity with Carbide integral to it's making.
You should ask that someone if they can send you a link to the coated Carbide insert they are referring to.

I was being intentionally obtuse, because the person was an Easy Wood Tools rep. I have 1-2 of their tools, but didn't know if the carbide coating was true or not.

 

[Mortalis]

I was being intentionally obtuse, because the person was an Easy Wood Tools rep. I have 1-2 of their tools, but didn't know if the carbide coating was true or not.

Intentional misrepresentation of the competition to sell their product. Hmm, sounds like a car salesman.

 

[leehljp]

I was being intentionally obtuse, because the person was an Easy Wood Tools rep. I have 1-2 of their tools, but didn't know if the carbide coating was true or not.

In my uneducated opinion on the subject, a carbide coating on an "insert" just doesn't seem right. The whole point of an insert is one that will last, and with an experienced user can be sharpened. A "coating" just doesn't seem to be lending itself to re-sharpening very well.

Then again, this is a new day and age. I remember my thoughts of that donut tire when it started coming out, I still don't like them. For people who don't know better, I guess carbide coating is "the thing," and so are donut tires!