Any way to clean slag off carbide mining tips?

So I posted awhile back asking about the best way of removing carbide mining compacts from rock drill bits...there wasn't really any one synonymous answer and more just suggestions than anything...after a few months of trying different methods (rose bud with acetylene to heat the face and release the carbide, cutting the entire face off the bit with a steel abrasive saw, a propane torch and an acetylene torch etc) I tried a whole lot of things, and between costs of gas, time and everything else the best method was simply cutting each button out individually with a propane torch.

My problem is how dirty the buttons come out, covered in melted copper and steel slag, I have tried cleaning it off with a grinding wheel and buffer but it doesn't work too well and the last thing I'd want to do is send the large quantity I have to a buyer under the impression I am getting clean scrap price just for them to turn around and say because 1 out of the several hundred compacts is dirty, therefore I get dirty price for all of it



So to be exact on my question...is there any method that anyone knows of to clean the melted steel and copper off the carbide? I'm no chemists so I'm not really too fond of the idea of acid baths or anything that can cause bodily harm, but anything zero risk I can try? Salt water bath? Coca cola?

Any suggestions are appreciated!

A ballmill may bash the slag off, since the balls are often tungsten it won't damage the ball or chip.

Look up 'ballmill'. Im making one from a old gas bottle, the short 'flying saucer' shaped one and a washing machine moter plus extra reductions.

Originally Posted by MattInTheHat

have you tried contacting buyers for ideas?

In particular the one who mainly buys Carbide?

Oh an hey..I got a sale going on Leverite..if anyone is looking to stock up.

Sirscrapalot - “And this mess is so big And so deep and so tall, We cannot pick it up. There is no way at all!” - The Matt in the..err Cat in the Hat.

If your going to sell to our buyer who is the main one on these forums who buys it...I don't see why it'd matter.

Do as you like tho.

Just saying if your going to ask anyone, ask the main buyer for Carbide on here, who has been quite nice to share a lot of info on it. Or you know you could search his thread an read all his info..

YMMV

Sirscrapalot - Snarky is as snarky does.