Carbide and steel, while seemingly similar have very distinct properties and applications. Carbide, typically tungsten carbide differs by its exceptional hardness, heat and wear resistance. Tungsten carbide has a melting point of 2,870 Celsius, and a boiling point of 6,000 Celsius. These properties make tungsten carbide the perfect material for products that require cutting, drilling, and high stress machining. Carbide allows for very precise cuts, and an exceptionally tight tolerance. It can maintain its sharpness and resist corrosion for long durations even under high stress environments. Tungsten carbide ranks around a 9.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, for context, a diamond ranks as a 10- the hardest ranking material can receive. Due to its hardness, carbide is slightly more brittle than steel. Carbide prices also run higher than steel due to the superior properties that set it above steel.
Steel lacks the hardness, which can make it suitable for scenarios requiring impact resistance and gives it suitability for a wide range of applications. It’s still a strong component, but it may undergo deformation under high pressure or impact. Due to seeing a slight physical disadvantage, steel prices are typically cheaper giving it a cost advantage.
