Optimizing Tungsten Steel Circular Blade Performance and Longevity

Gold Circular Blades (Tungsten Steel Blades) are primarily used for slitting materials such as paper, film, gold and silver foil, aluminum foil, copper foil, and magnetic tape. These blades require low cutting resistance and high wear resistance. To meet precision product requirements, the cutting edges sometimes need to achieve micron-level accuracy. Material options include high-quality alloys such as YG8, YG10, and YT15.

Hard alloy thin blades (TC thin blades) offer extremely high wear resistance. When used properly, they can significantly improve the cutting quality of corrugated cardboard and extend the blade’s service life. However, TC thin blades are brittle and prone to chipping if not used correctly.

Why do the same tungsten steel circular blades sometimes have significantly different service lives?

Generally, tungsten steel blades of the same grade produced by a reputable manufacturer should not show noticeable differences in lifespan. However, users sometimes perceive a substantial disparity in durability—even by several times. This is mainly due to improper blade maintenance, including:

1. Selection of grinding wheels: If the grit is too fine, the blade may not be sharp enough; if too coarse, the blade wears out faster. For our blades, we generally recommend using a finer grinding wheel with a grit size of 240–280. The bonding agent of the grinding wheel must also be suitable.

2. Grinding angle: It is essential to ensure that each sharpening produces a sharp edge. Otherwise, users may frequently feel the blade is dull and sharpen it too often. However, if the edge angle is too small, the blade will wear out faster. A angle of around 28 degrees is generally recommended.

3. Grinding air pressure and duration: Excessive air pressure or prolonged grinding time can significantly wear down the blade. We recommend using approximately 1 kg of air pressure for just two to three seconds per sharpening.

4. Frequency of sharpening: As long as the slit paperboard shows no burrs or collapsed edges, frequent sharpening is unnecessary.

In summary, blades are often worn down by grinding rather than actual use. The performance and longevity of a blade largely depend on how well its edge is maintained.