Wolfram picks?

[Palin]

Hi,
I have bought a piece of metal in order to make a pick, as shown in a tutotial video, but when i tried to brake it into smaller pieces it actually bent. Then I saw it was not steel but wolfram...
Can anyone tell me if wolfram is good material for picks or I should definitely find carbon or stainless steel?
Thank you in advance.

[Shrub]

Ive never heard of that material are you sure your not reading ht emanufacturers name?

[p1ckf1sh]

Wolfram is the german term for Tungsten. Didn't know it was used in other countries as well, but I think he refers to Tungsten.

[ThE_MasteR]

Go for something thinner, I hear tungsten is very strong material.

[p1ckf1sh]

Go for something thinner, I hear tungsten is very strong material.

Strong, heavy, good and nice.

It should be noted that grinding Tungsten is BAD BAD IDEA unless you have a professional ventilation installed.

Finely ground Tungsten (dust) that will appear while grinding is TOXIC to humans and animals because it may deactivate certain encymatic processes in the respiratory system (lungs).

Just keep it and get some real stainless sheet steel or dipsticks or windshield wipers, they are easily available. You can store the tungsten without a problem - it will not dissolve or aerosolize on its how. Has the highest melting point of all metals, and it is very stable even in corrosive environments, not even acids that dissolve gold will do it much harm.

(Yes, I read Oliver Sacks (Sachs?) book "Uncle Tungsten" !)

[Shrub]

You beat me to it

[undeadspacehippie]

Isn't Tungsten what light bullb filaments are made from? Thats some strong material - filaments are fine, and they deal with alot of current.

[mh]

Isn't Tungsten what light bullb filaments are made from? Thats some strong material - filaments are fine, and they deal with alot of current.

Yes.
The current causes heat (that's what makes them glow and generate the light). And the high melting point keeps them intact.
BTW, the German name "Wolfram" is the reason why one of the biggest light bulb manufacturers in the world is called OSRAM: OSmium + wolfRAM.

mh

[Shrub]

Your blades ont be made from tungsten but the teeth may be coated or made from it,

[bembel]

Some saw blades say "Wolfram" in big letters (got some here) but it's just an alloy with a very small amount of tungsten. (Maybe 2% or more)
Pure Tungsten might be pretty useless for cutting tools, but the alloy is an excellent HSS steel.

[p1ckf1sh]

The current causes heat (that's what makes them glow and generate the light). And the high melting point keeps them intact.

..and the absence of oxygen. When you drill a a hole into the glass hull the filament will not last very long.

BTW, the German name "Wolfram" is the reason why one of the biggest light bulb manufacturers in the world is called OSRAM: OSmium + wolfRAM.

More trivia: Wolfram stems from someone calling the stuff "lupi spuma" originally (latin, lupus=wolf, spuma=foam). Later this turned into Wolfram. The english term stems from the swedish "tung sten" which means something like "heavy stone" and is believed to refer to the heavy ore Wolfram/Tungsten is found in (surprisingly known as wolframite).