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Really? Yah, I saw a set in a Tractor Supply for under $40 and wondered how one sharpens them and how they deal with rocks. Package said they stay sharp longer. Then what?

I worked with carbide for decades as a machinist/toolmaker and I know that you can't get a decent edge using those green stones, you gotta use diamond wheels.

Plus the stuff is brittle and shatters before it deflects.

Any one use 'em?

Maybe reading this thread will give you more info: http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=114652.
That's the best I can do....hopefully since I responded to this others will see it and help you out.
Good luck! :smile:

It seemed kind of gimicky to me. Hit a rock with carbide and odds are it'll crack the carbide and leave a deep pit.


There's silicon carbide grinding wheels that are pretty good at fast carbide stock removal. They produce a really crappy edge all ragged and prone to chipping if used in machine shop applications so ya gotta follow it with a diamond wheel. But for grass? It might be fine The wheels wear out pretty quickly too.
So you need special grinding wheels and they don't last.

I noticed that Oregon (as in chain saw) advertises a tungsten carbide mulcher blade, but it looks like a hot spray coating and is advertise to last (only) twice as long as steel. This tells us its not solid carbide.

I also do not see how a real carbide tipped blade would hold up to the shock of rocks even if backed up with (softer) steel as in table saws and metal cutters.

Carbide tips work great on miter/compound miter saws, circular saws, and table saws, and they stay sharp for a very long time, i have used them to cut plastic siding with a compound miter saw and the blade stayed sharp. they stay sharp for a long time but i have no idea about the mower blades. carbide chips when it comes in contact with metal or something like that. so i dont think it would work to well with hitting a rock. just my opinion.

It is a carbide coating on the bottom edge of the blade to slow the wear of the steel blade. Slows down the wear of the cutting edge so you don't have to sharpen as often, but will have no defense against solid objects such as rocks, steel post and the most favorite hit object the water meter.

RaulMcCai said:

Really? Yah, I saw a set in a Tractor Supply for under $40 and wondered how one sharpens them and how they deal with rocks. Package said they stay sharp longer. Then what?

I worked with carbide for decades as a machinist/toolmaker and I know that you can't get a decent edge using those green stones, you gotta use diamond wheels.

Plus the stuff is brittle and shatters before it deflects.

Any one use 'em?

Click to expand...

No, but I thought about making my own by brazing carbide milling cutter inserts onto my Snapper blades. (I have a Bridgeport Milling machine and a South Bend metal lathe and use carbide insert cutters on both for milling steel) I'm sure I can find carbide inserts with a proper shape to braze to the tips of the lawnmower blades. My soil is sandy and blades dull quickly. I don't have any rock issues to worry about. I have always been able to get a decent edge on my carbide milling cutters with the green grinding wheels. I am a Mechanical Engineer by degree and 27 years of experience.

It might work using strip carbide.
Be really careful about balance when you have finished.
The other problem area will be the wear zone on the flute.
Having a good edge is no benefit if the blade splits down along the flute bend.

In really sandy soil you can grind the flutes down to provide less lift which should also reduce the amount of sand sucked up when the deck passes over.