HSS-T1 VS Carbide. Is there any advantage of carbide for average use? I know it will stay sharper longer but it costs more to buy and to sharpen. I can buy two sets of T-1 knives for the cost of one set of Carbide knives. Thanks, Jim
If you are milling down yellow pine or easy stuff - HSS would last.
If you do oaks, rosewoods, ash and others that absorb Silicon into the tree - carbide is your friend. Hard wood or silicon based woods eat HSS.
Get quality carbide - there is lightweight and strong and then metal grade.
Mart>
Just a clarification for anyone wanting search keywords: that's silica, which is silicon (silicon dioxide? been a bit).
I had to do some web wandering after hearing this advice repeated, since it confused my chemistry non-knowledge. Interesting stuff.
Let me clarify a bit. There are Tektosilicates and in that is the Silica Group. "All minerals with the composition SiO2, are included in this group namely, quartz,cristobalite, cosite, stishovite, opal, and Lechtelierite. Quartz is by far the most abundant; opal is common....."
examples are : citrine, Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Blue Quartz, Agate, Onyx, jasper, chert, and so forth.
Chert for example is the inclusion rock that is found in limestone.
SiO2 goes into solution and grows crystals or is drawn up into various plants. As you can see it just isn't simple quartz but is a broad list of the group. Quartz modified by various element becomes a slightly different looking example.
Onyx is carved, chert is used as a flint. Agates are sharp as glass when fractured (knives). Opal and Amethyst as well as others are jewelry grade SiO2 members.
Petrified wood is in the SiO2 group and varies from black to green.
The term Tekto is Greek. It means Framework.
Other Tektosilicates are the Feldspars.
Mart> >> If you are milling down yellow pine or easy stuff - HSS would
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