Tungsten carbide scrap

[steamdaveParticipant @steamdave]

Has anyone tried to sell tungsten carbide scrap?

I thought it was worth something but when I recently tried to sell some the scrap man wasn’t interested.  His reason was that most of my bits were coated and he would only accept uncoated pieces.

Is this the same for anyone else?

Dave
The Emerald Isle

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

When at work we would collect all carbide tips,  cutters etc and they were collected by cutter supplier for money when box supplied was full. Not a large box around six inch cube. I dont know how much for.

David

[VicParticipant @vic]

I watched a video some time ago about recycling carbide inserts. I think it was by Sandvik. I also saw another one where they packed them into safe doors to prevent drilling so they do have a value.

[steamdaveParticipant @steamdave]

It’s not the amount that I would receive for my ‘collection’, it is that the scrappie wasn’t interested in my tips at all because most of them were coated.  He would only accept uncoated tips.

And I thought that there was a world-wide shortage of tungsten carbide in the industrial nations (except China!)

Dave
The Emerald Isle

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Its 10000 a ton at the moment And I take two lots of 10kilos a year it helps the workshop. dont ask where I get it

[steamdaveParticipant @steamdave]

Are your tips coated or uncoated, or a mixture?

When the old tips are melted down, I would not imagine that the coating would be of any significance.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

 

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

Your scrappy must be supplying a certain demand. Most buyers will buy any, coated or not.

The chap I sold to has retired but there are many buyers out there.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

From Sandvik:

https://youtu.be/nPmGVPFITiY?feature=shared

MichaelG.

 

[steamdaveParticipant @steamdave]

Thanks for all your help, gents.  I’ll try him again or maybe look for someone else – if I can find one locally.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

[jimmy bParticipant @jimmyb]

We get rid of it in 50kg boxes every few months.

Mixture of coated and uncoated.

 

No idea what it sells for, other than its kept under lock and key, with a deposit slot!

 

Jimb

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

I’ve used AWA Refiners for my electronic scrap for many years and found them to be reliable. The also buy metals including Tungsten. They even have a collection van.
https://www.awarefiners.co.uk/precious-metals.php?

Worth having a word with them.

Robert.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

When they closed the turbine blade manufacturing shop at work (work transferred to Croatia and Mexico at great loss of quality), the lads separated all of the HSS and carbide and stacked it neatly, ready for collection. Best part of half a tonne of carbide inserts and cutters. New, reground and used. Later, the whole bloody lot went into the ‘mixed metals’ skip…

 

The only positive thing that I saw come out of it is that I’m still using the milling cutters that I helped myself to.

[Author]

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