Industrial knives and blades may look alike even if they’re made from different materials. When choosing blade materials, it’s important to consider more than price, including how it will be used, cutting performance, slit quality and wear resistance. In addition to hard steel, industrial blades can be made from carbide, ceramic, stainless steel and powdered metal or tool steel. 

Tungsten carbide blades are long-lasting

Tungsten carbide is a composite material made of tungsten and carbon, which is sintered under high pressure and temperature to create a hard, dense material. This makes them more resistant to wear, deformation and damage. Tungsten carbide blades and knives can maintain their sharpness and cutting performance for longer periods of time, which reduces downtime and maintenance costs. They are commonly used in cutting and slicing applications, such as in the paper, textile and food processing industries.

Tungsten carbide blades are more brittle and prone to chipping and cracking than steel knives. Valley Grinding tungsten carbide (and ceramic) blades are made up of a special composition to provide exceptionally thin blades that are highly resistant to breakage. 52100 tungsten carbide razor blades feature the sharpest cutting edges, resist nicking and can last hundreds of times longer than regular steel blades. While tungsten carbide can be more expensive than other materials, it’s usually worth the investment because of its long service life and improved performance.

Ceramic razor blades stay sharper longer

Ceramic razor blades boast sharper blades that stay sharper for extended periods compared to steel blades. The smoother surface of ceramic blades provides superior lubricity and reduces friction up to 24%, making them ideal for film converting or other adhesive applications. Ceramic blades can be beneficial for other industries, including those that must cut cardboard, rubber, plastic straps, tape, bagged goods, foil, yarn and more.

Ceramics are more brittle than carbides, which can lead to excessive and premature chipping of the cutting edge. As mentioned above, Valley Grinding ceramic (and tungsten carbide) blades are made up of a special composition to provide exceptionally thin blades that are highly resistant to breakage.  Although ceramic blades are a little more expensive than regular steel, they last 10-12 times longer. They’re also easier to maintain because they don’t rust or need oil to prevent rusting.

Stainless steel blades resist rust and corrosion

Like ceramic, stainless steel blades are known for their resistance to rust and corrosion. Because they can tolerate contact with food and water, they are mostly used for food processing and food packaging. Stainless steel blades are hard and resistant to wear and tear. Although stainless steel blades lose their edge quicker than other metal materials, they are easier to sharpen.

Powdered metal and tool steel blades are made of custom components

Like the name suggests, powdered metals start as powder, which allows for customization of materials used and resulting specifications, including increased wear resistance, cleaner finishes, improved grindability and greater toughness for less chipping. Tool steel metal is also composed of various metals that are usually heated to create a hard material that is wear- and heat-resistant. Powdered metal and tool steel blades are used for a lot of industries except food. Within each type of material, there are several variations as noted below.