Broken brazed carbide tooling

[gmihovics]

I was given a ton of old broken brazed carbide tooling, is there anything I can do with them? do they have a use other than brazing some new carbide bits to them? will they hold a cutting edge if I grind them into cutting tools?

 

[terry_g]

I have ground brazed carbide tooling for years with good results.
Having the correct grinding wheel helps.

 

[gmihovics]

I realise now I might need to clarify, when I say broken, I mean they have no carbide left, the piece was broken off completely.

@terry_g, does that change your answer? if not, how well does the tool hold an edge?

 

[YYCHM]

The shanks are soft and won't work as a tool bit. Take a file or hacksaw to one and you will see what I mean.

 

[gmihovics]

The shanks are soft and won't work as a tool bit. Take a file or hacksaw to one and you will see what I mean.

This is what I thought but a bunch of these are ground into odd shapes so I thought maybe they were harder than I assumed.

 

[Susquatch]

This is what I thought but a bunch of these are ground into odd shapes so I thought maybe they were harder than I assumed.

Sometimes they have rather precise shank diameters. If so, you could make pins out of them. Perhaps even rough gauge pins.

 

[gmihovics]

Sometimes they have rather precise shank diameters. If so, you could make pins out of them. Perhaps even rough gauge pins.

that's a great idea, thanks!

 

[trlvn]

This is what I thought but a bunch of these are ground into odd shapes so I thought maybe they were harder than I assumed.

It is possible that the previous owner ground the carbide into some specific shape which then left the shank in a weird shape when the carbide finally gave up the ghost. I have a few pieces in that condition.

Craig

 

[Susquatch]

that's a great idea, thanks!

A few 1/4 inch and a few 1/2 are especially useful. 1/4 can be used to set the half height of 1/2. Same goes for 3/8 & 3/4.

 

[gmihovics]

ok thanks for all the info. I'm going to keep some of the bigger broken pieces as pins or material to cut on the lather and mill.

 

[Former Member]

Grinding and sharpening carbide....diamond wheels really is the only way to go. Stone wheels in a pinch may work but once you've tried a diamond wheel no going back.

 

[WilliamR]

Is it possible the ones ground to odd shapes are HSS bits?

 

[Former Member]

Is it possible the ones ground to odd shapes are HSS bits?

Yes it is but with more difficulty and experience. Diamonds....