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  #1  
Old 02-08-2008, 07:38 AM
Paul Holzweiss Paul Holzweiss is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 5
Default Carbide vs. Carbalt

Has anyone done a side by side comparison between Carbide and Carbalt?
I'd like to know before spending the money.
Thanks
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  #2  
Old 02-08-2008, 11:19 AM
Eric Watson Eric Watson is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 208
Default Re: Carbide vs. Carbalt

About $3.00 to $4.00 buck's. Sorry but couldn't help myself.:smilie5:
Actually like both but can't say I have done enough tuff metal to give an honest opinion.
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  #3  
Old 02-08-2008, 12:52 PM
Brian Brian is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Stockton, California & Taxco, Guerrero, Mexico
Posts: 793
Default Re: Carbide vs. Carbalt

Hi Paul,

We have been using the Carbalt for about 7 years now, hard to beleive it has been that long...

The major difference between the two (other than dollars) is that carbide tends to break and chip while cutting curves, and Carbalt is much less prone to do so. This applies to steel, and other harder/tough metals like titanium.

Softer metals like pewter, copper, red brass, and most precious metals can be cut fine with carbide or Carbalt. The exception would some of the 10K alloys used in class rings. That can be hard stuff!

Neither carbide nor Carbalt lend themselves well to flat or bright cut gravers. The corners are just too delicate. For those we use one of the HS alloy blanks.

Brian P. Marshall
B. P. Marshall Studios
Stockton Jewelry Arts School
Stockton, CA USA
209-477-0550
instructor@jewelryartschool.com
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  #4  
Old 02-08-2008, 01:30 PM
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Tim Wells Tim Wells is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Potlatch, ID
Posts: 1,080
Default Re: Carbide vs. Carbalt

Just my two cents worth. Carbalt if I'm not mistaken is a mixture that Steve came up with that is mostly carbide and a certain amount of cobalt mixed in to toughen it up and reduce the brittleness that is inherent in a plain carbide blank.

I recently cut a Glock slide with one. Yeah, yeah, I know; I'm a knucklehead for doing it. Glock slides are made of tool steel then case hardened with a proprietary process called "Tennifer" which leaves it at a Rockwell of 67-68 which is dang near diamond hard.

I cut a raven and a Latin phrase on it with a carbalt graver with a 50 degree face and it did the job but I never will do it again! That stuff is harder than the third grade on Mike Tyson...
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  #5  
Old 02-08-2008, 08:03 PM
ron ron is offline
Platinum
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: harrisburg pa
Posts: 780
Default Re: Carbide vs. Carbalt

Paul . in the last 37 years that I have been engraving I have tried them all , GRS other retailers and Steve Lindsay's and I have found out that the Lindsay carbide/carbolt hold up the best, out of them all also one that is even better is Steves m42 I can cut all day with out sharpening , now for your info I engrave mostly colt fire arms and at time a few knives with ti. bolsters , here is where Steve's carbide/carbolt out shine them all . I do hope this helps .. ron p
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  #6  
Old 02-08-2008, 08:41 PM
Roger Henrichs Roger Henrichs is offline
Gold
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 167
Default Re: Carbide vs. Carbalt

Paul,
I've tried carbide and carbalt side by side. The carbalt seems to take a edge better and I can get it much sharper than the other vendors carbides. I haven't any problem with chipping with the carbalt. Right now I am doing all my work with carbalt. I sharpen the gravers with a 3000 diamond lap.

Roger
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  #7  
Old 02-17-2008, 09:36 PM
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Jroettger Jroettger is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Minneapolis Minnesota
Posts: 678
Default Re: Carbide vs. Carbalt

I find carbide best for bright cut pattern cutting on platinum jewelry. Other metals seem to bond with the platinum in a cold welding reaction during cutting and leave a less shinny cut. This is only pertinent with platinum though. Carbalt beats the heck out of carbide with all other metals though. It seems to be just as hard but much tougher. I learned this on the fega forum from a tip by Scott Pilkington several years ago.
Jim
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  #8  
Old 03-12-2008, 07:39 PM
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Daniel Houwer Daniel Houwer is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Haarlem, Holland
Posts: 2,125
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Default Re: Carbide vs. Carbalt

This make's me want to be in the USA.
Everything available.
I can get cobalt of carbide graver's, but nowbody has heard of carbalt gravers overhere!

Blast,,, I should prepare a holyday somewhere close to engravers in the usa.
Learning to much!

Thank's,

Daniel
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  #9  
Old 03-13-2008, 08:59 AM
noud peters noud peters is offline
Steel
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 55
Default Re: Carbide vs. Carbalt

Hay Daniel,
I'll join you when you go.
Interesting reading off The Linsay engraver and his gravers, good luck with your order i'll will see it.

Noud Peters
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