Carbide vs. Carbalt

[Paul Holzweiss]

Has anyone done a side by side comparison between Carbide and Carbalt?
I'd like to know before spending the money.
Thanks

[Eric Watson]

About $3.00 to $4.00 buck's. Sorry but couldn't help myself.:smilie5:
Actually like both but can't say I have done enough tuff metal to give an honest opinion.

[Brian]

Hi Paul,

We have been using the Carbalt for about 7 years now, hard to beleive it has been that long...

The major difference between the two (other than dollars) is that carbide tends to break and chip while cutting curves, and Carbalt is much less prone to do so. This applies to steel, and other harder/tough metals like titanium.

Softer metals like pewter, copper, red brass, and most precious metals can be cut fine with carbide or Carbalt. The exception would some of the 10K alloys used in class rings. That can be hard stuff!

Neither carbide nor Carbalt lend themselves well to flat or bright cut gravers. The corners are just too delicate. For those we use one of the HS alloy blanks.

Brian P. Marshall
B. P. Marshall Studios
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA USA
209-477-0550
instructor@jewelryartschool.com

[Tim Wells]

Just my two cents worth. Carbalt if I'm not mistaken is a mixture that Steve came up with that is mostly carbide and a certain amount of cobalt mixed in to toughen it up and reduce the brittleness that is inherent in a plain carbide blank.

I recently cut a Glock slide with one. Yeah, yeah, I know; I'm a knucklehead for doing it. Glock slides are made of tool steel then case hardened with a proprietary process called "Tennifer" which leaves it at a Rockwell of 67-68 which is dang near diamond hard.

I cut a raven and a Latin phrase on it with a carbalt graver with a 50 degree face and it did the job but I never will do it again! That stuff is harder than the third grade on Mike Tyson...

[ron]

Paul . in the last 37 years that I have been engraving I have tried them all , GRS other retailers and Steve Lindsay's and I have found out that the Lindsay carbide/carbolt hold up the best, out of them all also one that is even better is Steves m42 I can cut all day with out sharpening , now for your info I engrave mostly colt fire arms and at time a few knives with ti. bolsters , here is where Steve's carbide/carbolt out shine them all . I do hope this helps .. ron p

[Roger Henrichs]

Paul,
I've tried carbide and carbalt side by side. The carbalt seems to take a edge better and I can get it much sharper than the other vendors carbides. I haven't any problem with chipping with the carbalt. Right now I am doing all my work with carbalt. I sharpen the gravers with a 3000 diamond lap.

Roger

[Jroettger]

I find carbide best for bright cut pattern cutting on platinum jewelry. Other metals seem to bond with the platinum in a cold welding reaction during cutting and leave a less shinny cut. This is only pertinent with platinum though. Carbalt beats the heck out of carbide with all other metals though. It seems to be just as hard but much tougher. I learned this on the fega forum from a tip by Scott Pilkington several years ago.
Jim

[Daniel Houwer]

This make's me want to be in the USA.
Everything available.
I can get cobalt of carbide graver's, but nowbody has heard of carbalt gravers overhere!

Blast,,, I should prepare a holyday somewhere close to engravers in the usa.
Learning to much!

Thank's,

Daniel

[noud peters]

Hay Daniel,
I'll join you when you go.
Interesting reading off The Linsay engraver and his gravers, good luck with your order i'll will see it.

Noud Peters