Grinding Wheels

Grinding wheels are made up of thousands of minute abrasive grains that are bonded together. Every abrasive grain acts as a cutting edge.  The abrasive grains are made of very hard materials. The diamond grinding wheels features the hardest material known to man. The grain cuts a small chip to leave a smooth and perfect surface as it passes over the work piece. As each abrasive grain becomes dull, it breaks away from the bonding material to expose sharper grains.

The abrasive grains used for grinding wheels are differentiated between natural and manufactured. These days, the natural abrasives have largely been replaced by manufactured abrasives. The diamond tools are the last of the grinding wheels that use natural material. And even then, the natural diamonds are starting to get replaced by synthetic diamonds.

Manufactured abrasives are easier and more affordable to produce than natural abrasive materials that need to be mined and then processed. Manufactured abrasives also offer more consistent cutting quality due to the controlled conditions of the manufacturing process. The most widely used abrasives for grinding wheels are aluminum oxide, cubic boron nitride, diamond, and cubic boron nitride.

There are few remaining grinding wheels that use natural abrasives today. Most of these tools are able to subsist because of traditions. An example is in sword making wherein the inconsistency of natural abrasives give the blade a unique and attractive patterns.