In the tooling industry, most manufacturers rely on either tungsten carbide or steel, especially high-speed steel, to make cutting tools like inserts. Each material has its own strengths and weaknesses. But when it comes to durability, tungsten carbide stands out as the clear winner. So, what makes it so long-lasting? Let’s find out.

What Is Tungsten Carbide?

Tungsten carbide, or strictly speaking, cemented carbide, is a compound made through a process called powder metallurgy. It mainly consists of hard compounds known as carbides, primarily tungsten carbide (WC), and sometimes titanium carbide (TiC) or tantalum carbide (TaC), combined with a binder such as cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), or molybdenum (Mo).

This unique combination gives tungsten carbide its exceptional properties: high hardness, excellent wear resistance, and strong resistance to heat and corrosion. What really sets it apart is its hardness. It remains extremely hard even at high temperatures. At around 500°C, it maintains nearly the same hardness as at room temperature, and even at 1000°C, it still stays impressively hard. Tungsten carbide has a Mohs hardness of 9-9.5, which is just below diamond.

Tungsten carbide is widely used in industries that demand strength and durability. You’ll find it in cutting tools, construction & mining picks, wear parts, and coatings. Interestingly, it’s also used in jewelry, where its toughness makes it a popular material for rings and accessories that last a lifetime.

What Is Steel?

Steel is a general term for iron–carbon alloys that contain between 0.02% and 2.11% carbon. The exact composition of steel can vary a lot depending on its use, but it typically includes small amounts of elements such as manganese, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur. When the carbon content is below about 1.7%, it’s called carbon steel.

Among many types of steel, high-speed steel (HSS) is the one that’s most relevant to the tooling industry. HSS is a high-carbon tool steel that contains tungsten and other hard alloying elements. It’s known for its high hardness, good wear resistance, and excellent heat resistance, which allow it to keep cutting edges sharp even at high temperatures. Typically, HSS contains 0.7% to 1.65% carbon, and its total alloy content can reach 10%–25%, making it much more complex than ordinary carbon steel.

Why Is Tungsten Carbide More Durable Than Steel?

The key to tungsten carbide’s durability lies in its composition and structure. While steel is a metal, tungsten carbide is a ceramic-like compound, a combination of tungsten and carbon atoms bonded together, often with a bit of cobalt as a binder. This structure gives it exceptional hardness and wear resistance, far beyond what even the best steels can achieve.

To put things in perspective, the hardness of tungsten carbide can exceed 2200 HV on the Vickers scale, which is more than twice that of high-speed steel (around 750–1100 HV). This extreme hardness means tungsten carbide keeps its sharp cutting edge for much longer, even when cutting through very hard materials. It also handles high temperatures extremely well, staying hard and stable under the heat generated by fast cutting speeds.

Another reason tungsten carbide lasts longer is its thermal and chemical stability. When cutting metals at high speed, steel tools tend to lose hardness as they heat up, leading to faster wear. Tungsten carbide, however, maintains its hardness up to around 1000°C, so it doesn’t soften as easily. That’s why carbide tools can run faster, last longer, and deliver a smoother surface finish on the workpiece.

When Steel Might Still Be the Better Choice?

Even though tungsten carbide is more durable, steel still has its advantages.

  • Lower cost: Steel is much cheaper to produce and easier to replace.
  • Toughness and flexibility: Steel can absorb shock and impact better without cracking.
  • Easier to resharpen: Steel can be easily resharpened or reshaped, while tungsten carbide is difficult to machine once formed.

Conclusion

Both tungsten carbide and steel have their place in the tooling world. Steel offers toughness and flexibility, while tungsten carbide delivers unmatched hardness and wear resistance. If your work demands long-lasting performance and high cutting speeds, carbide is the clear choice. But for applications where impact strength matters more, steel still shines. In the end, it’s all about choosing the right material for the job.