Abstract: An improved hand shear is provided having a wear-resistant cutting edge made of either:70% to 84.5% tungsten carbide and 15.5% to 30% cobalt; or70% to 97% tungsten carbide and 3% to 30% nickel; or94% to 99.9% by weight of tungsten carbide and nickel taken together, the ratio of tungsten carbide to nickel being 0.70:0.30 to 0.97:0.03, and 0.1% to 6% of at least one of cobalt, titanium carbide and tantalum carbide.

Abstract: Fullerene-containing soot, is prepared by evaporating an electrically conductive carbon rod in an electric arc plasma sustained in a tubular evaporator between coaxially aligned carbon rods in a stream of inert gas flowing coaxially over the carbon rods at a flow rate of at least 0.02 m.sup.3 /h, and collecting the soot from the evaporator walls.

Abstract: An improved process, and an apparatus, are provided for preparing graphitic soot comprising C.sub.60 and C.sub.70 fullerenes, the process comprising evaporating, in a tubular evaporator, an electrically conductive carbon rod in an electric arc plasma sustained between the carbon rod and a second electrically conductive carbon rod, each of the carbon rods being aligned coaxially in the evaporator, and at least one of the rods being moveable, in a stream of at least one inert gas flowing coaxially over the carbon rods at an inlet flow rate of at least about 0.02 m.sup.3 /h, and collecting the graphitic soot from internal surfaces of the evaporator.

Abstract: An improved, wear-resistant hand shear is provided having a cutting edge which is made of either:(a) 70% to 84% of tungsten carbide, and 30% to 15.5% of cobalt; or(b) 70% to 97% of tungsten carbide, and 3% to 30% of nickel; or(c) 94% to 99.9% of tungsten carbide and nickel taken together, the ratio of tungsten carbide to nickel being 0.70:0.30 to 0.97:0.03, and 0.1% to 6% of at least one of cobalt, titanium carbide, and tantalum carbide.