Lathe Carbide Insert Tools

[Toolmaker51]

Excerpted, as I tend to do. Not diluting, more to centralize reply to comments of the post.

Yes green wheels for carbide. ...and fine aluminum oxide that I use for HSS. The diamond wheel is finer and gives a better finish on the carbide but for my purposes the good ole green wheels work fine. cheers, JR

Properly dressed green wheels can produce virtually honed carbide cutting edges, often too fine. Carbide removes material with a sort of deformation action, not dependent on 'sharpness' compared to HSS that shears. With excess clearance they weaken measurably. Detect chips with side of a thin brass or tin shim-like leaf across the cutting edge. Those cause interfering chip streams, that pile up fused to the edge and cause increased chipping. A razor edge is difficult to maintain in alloys and nonferrous materials. However, diamond finishing can produce correct shape and being 'polished' reduces friction at higher rpms/ finer feeds/ cleanup cuts.
Used carefully, the diamond stick hones are sufficient. Hone strokes should be in one direction; away from edge to prevent unintentional rounding off. Not easy to make each stroke consistent.
Better yet make a honing guide. Simple block with set screws to hold tool, appropriate angles for front-side clearances and same reliefs. Apply this with a flat marble tile and wetted wet/ dry paper, about 400-600 grit, yes they are silicon carbide and will dress cemented or insert carbides readily. A desired radius is best 'swung' or 'swept' across, clearance first, then edge clearances, then the reliefs. Same single direction applies, and across entire length of paper, a few will visibly alter the edge. Might be a wet honing tray in HMT.net to search out, recall it has a battery operated pump from a desk fountain too. But isn't under 'hone', 'honing'...or 'wet'.

When inserts were more clamp on than retained by screw, we'd use them up as nubs brazed or silver soldered to a shank of cold rolled. Still works, but holes weaken remainder sooner. Great when durable form tools are needed. Like remnant metal, carbide isn't scrap until you can't hold it anymore.

jjr2001 commented "...learn something new every time, visit Homemadetools.net". His "I's" removed intentionally [not in the gory sense].
We ALL do.