VPOINT Carbide Grades & Material Selection Guide

Every VPOINT TOOL cutting edge is engineered around a grade matched to the workpiece. Choosing the right carbide or PCD grade is the single biggest factor in edge life, cut quality, and cost-per-meter. This guide explains the grades we use across our woodworking, panel-processing, and non-ferrous tool ranges so buyers can specify with confidence.

How to read this guide: “Grade” is the carbide / PCD specification of the cutting edge. For indexable inserts it is a named grade in our VP (factory-exclusive) series; for brazed and solid-carbide tools it is an application-matched carbide selected by our engineering team per material and geometry. Exact per-SKU grade is confirmed at order time.

1. Carbide Grades — VP (factory-exclusive) series

For our indexable knives, spoilboard surfacing bits, and replaceable-insert router bits, the cutting edge is a loose carbide insert. We grade these by hardness (HRA) and grain structure — the VP factory-exclusive series:

Grade Hardness (HRA) Best for Notes
VP06 92.0 – 93.5 Soft & hard solid wood, clean machining General-purpose wood carbide; balanced toughness & wear
VP08 93.0 – 94.5 MDF, laminate, particle board, plywood Finer grain for abrasive board materials
VP10 93.9 – 94.7 HDF and high-density fibre materials Highest hardness in the VP wood-insert range

Indexable inserts are double- or multi-edged: when one corner wears, rotate or flip the insert instead of replacing the whole tool — the core of our replaceable-insert value proposition.

2. PCD — Polycrystalline Diamond (ST001 series)

For the most abrasive and silica-rich materials — MDF, laminate, composites, HDF, and certain non-ferrous applications — we use PCD (polycrystalline diamond) edges under the ST001 series (Diamond Performance Router family).

  • PCD edges are substantially harder than tungsten carbide and last far longer on abrasive board materials, dramatically reducing changeover and downtime.
  • Available as spiral router bits, straight/flat routers, V-groove, premill cutter heads, and PCD saw blades.

3. Tungsten Carbide (HM) — brazed & solid tools

Our saw blades, router bits, drill bits, planer blades, and end mills use tungsten carbide (HM) tips on a steel body, or solid carbide for small-diameter precision tools. The carbide is selected by grain size and cobalt content to match the material:

Workpiece Carbide choice
Softwood, pine, plywood Finer / medium grain, tougher grade
Hardwood, MDF, laminate Medium grain, higher wear resistance
Abrasive board / composites Coarser / PCD-reinforced edges (see §2)

4. High-Speed Steel (HSS)

A small number of specialised bits — for example our square-hole drill bit for wood — use HSS where toughness and a specific geometry matter more than carbide hardness. These are clearly labelled per product.

5. Quality control

  • Carbide hardness verified to HRA ≥ 89 on production batches.
  • Edge and body dimensions held to ±0.02 mm.
  • 100% inspected before shipment; sample test reports available on request.
  • One-year quality warranty on manufacturing defects.

6. Not sure which grade you need?

Tell us your material (solid wood / MDF / laminate / HDF / aluminium / non-ferrous), machine brand & model, and target feed — we return a matched grade and geometry, usually within 24–48 hours. Custom sizes and geometries are our default, not an exception.

Specify the right grade for your job.
WhatsApp: +86 186 6783 0116 · Email: johnlee@vpointtools.com
VPOINT TOOL — Factory-direct carbide & PCD woodworking tools .