TIG electrode scribe?

[Reman]

Just a random question (And for a change, it's a pretty short one ! ).

As far as I remember from science class, Tungsten is meant to be hard as nails, so would TIG torch electrodes hold a point better for scratching lines in rusty steel than tool steel scribes?
I've never owned a TIG welder so I have naff all experience with tungsten (I just vaguely remember reading that some have thorium in them so you've got to use a proper mask when grinding a point on them).
I'm kind of just thinking aloud here because I'm going to have to make some more scribes at some point, and I keep seeing people here flogging packs of TIG electrodes at what would work out to not be a particularly bad price for a pack of "pre pointied" scribes.

 

[Hood]

That is what I use for a scribe.

 

[Reman]

That is what I use for a scribe.

How would you say they compare to tool steel or carbide? Or do you just use them out of convenience because you have them kicking about?

 

[Hood]

How would you say they compare to tool steel or carbide? Or do you just use them out of convenience because you have them kicking about?

They seem to last great but it has been many years since I have used anything else so can't say for sure if they are better, as good or worse than the others.

 

[Reman]

OK, it sounds like it could be worth grabbing a couple then.
I thought I better check first in case they were "Tungsten" to the extent that they had a little of it in whatever alloy they might have been. If I jumped straight in and bought some, sods law would mean I'd find out they were actually something like tungsten infused graphite, and only left lines because they left a trail of material, like a pencil.

 

[Hood]

I think they are mostly tungsten with just a few % of other elements such as Lanthium, Thorium, Zirconium etc. depending on flavour.

 

[doubleboost]

I use nothing else for scribing

 

[James1979]

I use tungsten also. I have one in an old fashioned clutch pencil so I don’t stab myself with it. Not in workshop today so no pic.

However. These are also tungsten and from teng and £2.50

 

[Munkul]

I tried tungsten but vastly prefer carbide.
Buy one of these, thank me later

Fowler Carbide "Super Scriber"

ÒFowler

www.fowlerprecision.com

I've never needed to sharpen mine. I buy em for the lads at work.
Only time you'll cry is if you lose it...

 

[Hood]

I use tungsten also. I have one in an old fashioned clutch pencil so I don’t stab myself with it. Not in workshop today so no pic.

However. These are also tungsten and from teng and £2.50

View attachment 307945

I am a bit posher, mine is in an old Moore & Wright scriber body, saves stabbing me, well unless I forget to turn it around.

 

[Morrisman]

I use an old needle out of a needle descaler/chipping gun, picked it up 30 years or more ago. Well, picked several up but they have mainly gone astray over the years. Once they wear down to a certain length they are too short for the gun, so get scrapped.