Thread: Steel: the final cut?

Titanium is not as hard as heat treated high carbon steel, nor is it brittle (it is actualy quit ductile). It has considerable tensil strenght, equal to that of steel, but is much lighter than steel. It is also very resistant to corrosion, including having a high level of resistance to acids. I have a titanium ignition key for one of my cars.

Hey people what about tungsten carbide?

Its cheap and extremely hard (8.5-9 Mohs). I've got a ring made from tungsten carbide with a satin finish, normally the finish gets scratched but with tungsten carbide it doesn't scratch. The honing might be a problem but with soms diamond paste this might be solved. So who knows why we don't use tungsten carbide? Might chip because its to hard but I'm no expert on metals, alloys and ceramics.

(sorry for my crappy english)

Guus

Originally Posted by Skizzo

Hey people what about tungsten carbide?

Its cheap and extremely hard (8.5-9 Mohs). I've got a ring made from tungsten carbide with a satin finish, normally the finish gets scratched but with tungsten carbide it doesn't scratch. The honing might be a problem but with soms diamond paste this might be solved. So who knows why we don't use tungsten carbide? Might chip because its to hard but I'm no expert on metals, alloys and ceramics.

(sorry for my crappy english)

Guus

Perhaps....

there is a local knife maker that has made some knives from cobalt. I don't know exactly what it is but supposedly harder than steel, better cutting. ???

Red

Originally Posted by Skizzo

Hey people what about tungsten carbide?

Its cheap and extremely hard (8.5-9 Mohs). I've got a ring made from tungsten carbide with a satin finish, normally the finish gets scratched but with tungsten carbide it doesn't scratch. The honing might be a problem but with soms diamond paste this might be solved. So who knows why we don't use tungsten carbide? Might chip because its to hard but I'm no expert on metals, alloys and ceramics.

(sorry for my crappy english)

Guus

Its very brittle, very difficult to machine/sharpen, impossible to forge, not really practical for a razor.

Flint is interesting when you consider that neolithic man had at his disposal edged tools that were capable of being as sharp as anything we can come up with today, as others have noted it doesnt lend itself to long straight edges though. Obsidian or chert is similar of course.

Steel is perfect for the job really!

Huh. Well I guess I learn something new everyday.