What is the difference between carbide and high speed steel?
The two materials from which most cutting tools are made are carbide and high speed steel (HSS). While there are a vast number of classifications and metallurgical variations within each material, the most common grades used for rotary cutting tools such as engraving cutters are C-2 micrograin carbide and M2 HSS. Carbide is an extremely hard and abrasion resistant material and is recommended for most typical engraving applications. While it is slightly more expensive than HSS, it can out last it by a factor of 5-10 times depending upon the application. It can be used very effectively on both plastic and metal and is the most cost-effective choice of engraving tools. While HSS doesn’t have the wear and life characteristics of carbide, it does tend to be more resilient and less brittle and is the best choice for deep cuts with small tip sizes in harder materials. Engraving seal dies which are typically done to a depth of .035″-.040″ with a .007″-.010″ tip is a good example. One considera
