The most important part of carbide tooling is the correct tool run at the correct speed necessary. A carbide cutting tools is designed to run at specified speeds for different materials or the carbide will either burn up or break. End mills are especially sensitive to these requirements. Take fluted end mills for example. Some are designed and coated with different materials for correct usage. There are end mills designed for high-speed work such as aluminum and non-ferrous metals, while others have a high helix design for aggressive milling in most materials. There are also Flute end mills that are designed for extreme high-speed machining usually used for aluminum and other non-ferrous metals.

Carbide burrs are the finishing tool of the trade. In the metal shop, carbide burrs are used to remove the small metal flakes from the work to give a smooth, finished look to the piece. Carbide burrs are used in tools that achieve the maximum velocity for the tool. These velocities are normally in the thousands of rpms. Depending on their use, carbide burrs range from small to large. Their use ranges from the dentist office and small handheld rotary tools to large CNC machine shop equipment.

Most machining industries require exacting dimensions in the final product and burs from the machining process can cause which could prove devastating to the finished product. In the automotive industry for example, measurements are in the thousandths of an inch and burring from the machining process will alter those dimensions enough to cause an engine to fail. The carbide burr allows the machinist to remove these burrs with a high-speed tool that provides an excellent finish free from burrs. The type of finish that is desired will dictate the style of burr tool you will use. Carbide burrs come in many different shapes and sizes to suit every finish.

As with all tooling, the correct carbide cutting tools will get the job done right. There are many different styles, twists, and points of the carbide cutting tools. Using carbide wood drills for a light piece of steel may work for a moment, but failure is generally the norm. To fast a feed speed, the wrong carbide drills will not only fail, but will also cause frustration to the operator. Dull and worn out carbide tooling will also produce the same negative results. The right tool for the right job will not only get the job done, but also will allow the carbide tool to function as it is designed, but also will last much longer.

While carbide cutting tools is designed to last much longer than steel tools, the carbide tooling does wear out and requires sharpening or replacement. Due to the relativity low cost of carbide tooling, replacement is the most recommended course of action. While carbide tools can be sharpened and the carbide refused back onto the carbide tool, its performance is reduced. The cost to replace carbide tooling far outweighs the cost of the damage or injury of attempting to re-tool the carbide drills and countersinks.