Abstract: A hand-held cutting tool can make repeated precision cuts into hard materials after being repeatedly exposed to highly corrosive and oxidizing conditions. The cutting tool comprises a pair of interactive stainless steel complementary members, each member having a handle portion at one end and a cutting portion at the other end. The cutting portion comprises a hardened tool-steel insert forming the tool's cutting edge. The surface of each member is hard chrome plated except for the hardened tool-steel cutting edge. Each member comprises a recessed portion of complementary size and configuration to accommodate interaction between the members. A washer resides between each member to accommodate unwanted space and a screw is used to hingedly join each member together so that the cutting edges are aligned in an opposed fashion directed toward each other. The tool's cutting portion, including both cutting edges are coated with a refractory material.

Abstract: A completely corrosion resistant, high strength cutting tool such as an orthodontic wire cutter includes a stainless steel body having a pair of corrosion resistant alloy steel bonding tips brazed thereto. The tips are brazed to the body using a nickel alloy brazing foil at a brazing temperature of approximately 1900 degrees F. After a rough grinding to appropriate shape, the entire tool is heat treated in a process that heats the tool to an austenitizing temperature for the cutting tips that is about 2050 degrees F. and substantially above the brazing temperature to achieve a tip hardness of 62-67 Rc. Thereafter finish grinding, buffing, polishing and honing of the cutting edges completes the manufacture of the cutting tool.