How to Cut Carbide

You can however, cut carbide with diamond tipped cutting wheels.

Cutting Using a Vice

1. Secure the carbide into a vice. Be careful, although carbide is extremely hard, it is also brittle and prone to cracking if place under pressure. Secure the carbide in the vice tight enough to keep it from moving but do not apply extreme pressure.

2. Secure the diamond-cutting wheel to an angle grinder. This process will differ depending on the type of saw you own. Follow the guidelines for your saw.

3. Mark the location where you to cut the carbide with a marker.

4. Turn on the angle grinder and cut straight through the carbide. Allow the cutting wheel to do the work. Do not force the cutter through the carbide. This will cause excessive heat build up in the cutter and in the carbide.

5. Do not use a cutting lubricant. The lubricant will reduce the cutting capacity of the diamond-cutting wheel.

Free-Hand Cutting

1. Secure the diamond-cutting wheel to a tabletop grinder. This process will differ depending on the type of grinder you own. Follow the guidelines for your grinder.

2. Place a mark on the carbide where you want to cut with a marker.

3. Turn on the grinder, grip both ends of the carbide with your hands firmly press the carbide against the diamond grinding wheel to start the cut. Proceed to a depth of 50-percent without rotating the carbide. Remove the carbide from the cutter as necessary and cool it off in clean water.

4. Rotate the carbide to the side you have not cut yet and firmly slide that side into the cutter to finish cutting the other 50-percent of the material. Again, remove the carbide and cool it in water as needed.

Things You Will Need

• Vice
• Angle grinder or bench top grinder
• Clean water

Show More

Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.