Tungsten Carbide

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "David Huffman by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <huffman-at-fnal.gov>

I recently received some cutting bits for a large machine. The person I got
them from told me they were tungsten carbide. I was hoping to use them for a
spark gap but I think they may be some other material. The 'carbide' bits I've
seen in the past were very shiny metallic pieces. These cutters are dull almost
carbon like in appearance. The guy gave me 9 pieces total. Four of them are
plated a gold color and measure conductive with an Ohm meter. The other five
have the dull carbon look and vary in resistance. They are extremely hard and
heavy, I can scratch a steel file with them. The problem as I see it will be
making an electrical connection to them. Anyone have some idea how to test this
material? The pieces are disc shaped about 25mm in dia. by 7mm thick with a
tappered hole through the center.
As soon as time permits I will set them all in series to see if they work. 
 
Dave Huffman