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Abrasive cutting tools are any number of tools which cut by rubbing a hard material quickly over
the object to be cut. One of the most basic types of abrasive cutting tools is a grinding wheel.
An abrasive material is hard and rough, and wears down whatever it is rubbed against. Abrasive cutting
tools are embedded with an abrasive material.
Because abrasive cutting is efficient and relatively inexpensive, abrasive cutting tools come in a great
variety. If you look hard enough, you're likely to find abrasive cutting tools for just about any
type of cutting job you might have. For any solid that needs to be cut, an abrasive cutting tool exists
for the job.
The abrasives in abrasive cutting tools are usually very hard crystals. In order to work well,
the abrasive cutting tools must use an abrasive that is harder than the material to be cut. Because
diamond is the hardest substance on earth, it is used in abrasive cutting tools which cut or polish
very hard substances.
Other abrasives used in abrasive cutting tools include aluminum oxide, called corundum in its crystal
form; garnet; and emery. Abrasive cutting tools use the friction of these abrasives to cut materials
ranging from wood and metal to stone and gems. The softer abrasive cutting tools, an iron file for
example, are used to cut softer materials like wood. Harder materials such as gems require abrasive
cutting tools with very hard abrasives, like diamond.
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