Carbide is a very common material on any sort of cutting tool: For example, saw blades, lathe bits, drill bits, router bits and dental drilling tips are generally made of carbide. Carbide is so popular in these sorts of tools because it stays sharper longer than most other materials.
With something like a carbide-tipped saw blade, the main body of the blade is made of steel. The small tips of carbide are brazed on to the body. A good carbide tip might hold an edge ten to twenty times longer than a tool steel tip.
Carbide tips do get dull eventually. You sharpen them using the same techniques you would use with tool steel, but because they are so hard, you use a different abrasive. Something coated in diamond or a carbide abrasive wheel is common.
| WHEEL DIA. | ARBOR HOLE | TEETH | MAX RPM | MATERIAL TO BE CUT | BRAND | SKU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-3/8" | 20mm | 30 | 12,000 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D053830FMX |
| 6-1/2" | 5/8" | 48 | 11,000 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0648CFX |
| 6-3/4" | 20mm | 48 | 11,000 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0649F |
| 7" | 20mm | 36 | 5,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0736CFM |
| 7" | 20mm | 48 | 5,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0748CFM |
| 7-1/4" | 5/8" + D | 36 | 5,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0736CF |
| 7-1/4" | 5/8" + D | 48 | 5,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0748CF |
| 7-1/4" | 5/8" + D | 56 | 5,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0756F |
| 7-1/4" | 5/8" | 70 | 5,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0770F |
| 8" | 5/8" | 42 | 4,300 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0842CF |
| 9" | 1" | 46 | 3,600 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0946CF |
| 10" | 1" | 50 | 3,000 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D1050CF |
| 12" | 1" | 60 | 1,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D1260CF |
| 12" | 1" | 80 | 1,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D1280CF |
| 14" | 1" | 72 | 1,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D1472CF |
| 14" | 1" | 90 | 1,800 | Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D1490CF |
| 7-1/4" | 5/8" + D | 56 | 10,000 | Non-Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D0756N |
| 10" | 5/8" | 80 | 7,000 | Non-Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D1080N |
| 12" | 1" | 96 | 6,000 | Non-Ferrous Metals | Diablo | D1296N |
| 7-1/4" | 5/8" + D | 24 | 8,000 | Wood | Diablo | D0724A |
| 12" | 1" | 60 | 2,000 | Ferrous Metals | Makita | A-90532 |
| D = Diamond Shaped Knock-Out | ||||||
