can you use tungsten carbide rods for knife sharpening？

Tungsten carbide is super hard and wear-resistant, making it a great tool for processing many materials.

There are two common questions about how to use it: Can it be powder coated? Can it be used to sharpen knives? Let’s explain them one by one.

一. Can tungsten carbide be directly powder coated?

Although tungsten carbide itself is very powerful, it is troublesome to spray it with a beautiful powder coating directly.

The main problem lies in “thermal expansion and contraction”.

Powder coating requires high-temperature baking to harden, typically at approximately 150-200°C. However, the degree of expansion of tungsten carbide after heating is very different from that of powder coating materials.

The result is:

1. It won’t stick: Once the coating cools and shrinks, it will easily fall off the tungsten carbide surface.

2. It will crack: The coating itself may also be “pulled” and cracked.

3. It is difficult to spray: The smooth tungsten carbide surface is sometimes not easy for electrostatic spray powder to adhere.

二. Can tungsten carbide rods be used to sharpen insert or turning plate?

Of course you can! Using carbide rods to sharpen knives is very effective, especially for very dull knives or hard steel insert or plate. Why?

1. Hard against hard: Tungsten carbide rods are much harder than the best knife steels and can quickly smooth out curled or chipped edges.

2. Fast, accurate and ruthless: It can sharpen a dull knife to a usable edge faster than a whetstone.

3. Specially designed to treat “burrs”: It can deal with small burrs caused by sharpening knives with just a few pulls.

Tungsten carbide rods: more than just sharpening knives!

Tungsten carbide rods (also called carbide rods) can be used to sharpen knives, all thanks to their inherent wear resistance and durability. In factories, carbide bars for mining and carbide rods in drill bits are “tough guys” that fight hard battles in the harshest environments, enduring huge friction and impact.

To summarize:

Powder coating tungsten carbide directly?

Not very good, it can’t expand and contract with heat. Want to “beautify” it or add protection? It’s more reliable to choose special coating or strong paint.

Use tungsten carbide rod to sharpen knives?

Absolutely useful! It is a “first aid” to quickly repair dull knives, but remember to use it gently and don’t use it as a daily maintenance tool.