SELLCARBIDE SCRAP FOR TOP DOLLAR

A general scrap yard buys carbide as just another metal. It gets blended into a mixed load and paid at a blended rate that drags your carbide down to the level of cheap mixed metal. They do not sort grades, because sorting carbide properly is its own job — and most yards do not own an XRF analyzer.

I do one thing: I buy carbide, and I grade it with an XRF analyzer that reads the metal’s actual composition in seconds. Inserts, brazed tooling, and heavy alloy each carry different value, so each gets its own number — today’s number for that grade, not an average dragged down by whatever else was in the load. That is the whole reason a specialist exists, and it is why shops that learn the difference never go back to the yard.

A 5-gallon bucket of carbide inserts typically weighs 40 to 50 pounds. A coffee can of used end mills is heavier than you expect — carbide runs about twice the density of steel, so small containers get heavy fast. A 55-gallon drum of grinding sludge can weigh several hundred pounds, but sludge is priced on contained tungsten, not drum weight, so dry and clean beats wet and contaminated every time.

Here is what actually moves your number: the form (solid beats brazed), the grade (XRF tells the truth in seconds), how well it is sorted (mixed lots price to the cheapest form in the mix), and where the tungsten market sits that day. Text me a photo with a rough weight and I will do the math on your exact pile — free, no obligation.

In August 2026 the U.S. government restricted tungsten scrap exports: American sellers must now allocate their tungsten waste and scrap to domestic buyers through August 2027. That keeps more carbide inside the country competing for domestic processors — structural support for what your carbide is worth as long as the rule stands.

My supply chain was already domestic-only. Your material never leaves the United States, and every pound I buy feeds American manufacturing. Watch the weekly price check and text me when you like the number.

Machine shops

CNC and manual shops generating inserts, end mills, and drills daily — one bucket or drums on a schedule, recurring pickup available.

Tool rooms and tool cribs

Plant tool rooms and MRO cribs clearing out worn tooling, surplus boxes, and overstock — boxed or loose, any quantity.

Aerospace suppliers

Precision shops and suppliers with high-grade carbide streams and full traceability expectations — graded and documented.

Oilfield and mining shops

Wear parts, compacts, and heavy tooling from drilling and mining work — heavy lots welcome, freight coordinated.

Individuals and estates

Retired machinists, home shops, and estate cleanouts — a single coffee can is worth a text, and I will tell you straight what you have.

What is scrap carbide worth per pound right now?

Market ranges by material form live on my scrap carbide prices page, updated with every price check. Your firm number comes from a photo of your actual pile — text it to 312-880-8174.

Who buys scrap carbide near me?

I do — Ironcrest Industrial Surplus, based in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, buying nationwide. Chicago gets same-day pickup, Northwest Indiana gets scheduled pickup runs, and sellers anywhere else mail in with a prepaid label.

How do I sell my carbide scrap?

Text photos to 312-880-8174 with a rough weight and your location. I grade it from the photos, give you today’s firm number, and we set up mail-in, pickup, or drop-off. No forms — you deal with me directly.

Do you pick up carbide?

Same-day pickup covers the Chicago area. I run scheduled pickup trips across Northwest Indiana and travel anywhere in the country for the right load. Small lots anywhere mail in with a prepaid label.

Is there a minimum quantity?

No. I buy a single bucket from a home shop and drums on a schedule from production shops. If you have carbide, it is worth a text.

Do I have to sort my carbide before I sell it?

No, but sorting pays. Unsorted lots get priced to the cheapest form in the mix. Keeping inserts and solid tooling separate from brazed tooling — and sludge in its own drum — gets you the most accurate quote and the most money.

How is carbide graded?

With an XRF analyzer — a handheld scanner that reads the metal’s composition in seconds. That tells us the grade, and each grade gets today’s number for that grade. No blending, no guessing.

How do I know my tooling is real carbide?

Real carbide is heavy for its size — roughly twice the weight of steel — and only slightly magnetic, while tool steel grabs a magnet hard. My guide How to Spot Real Tungsten Carbide walks through the checks. When in doubt, text a photo and I will tell you straight.

Do you buy carbide grinding sludge?

Yes. Sludge and swarf are priced on contained tungsten — how much actual tungsten is in the drum — so keep it as dry as you can and free of trash, rags, and steel chips. See current sludge ranges on the price page.

How fast do I get paid?

Pickup and drop-off deals pay when the material changes hands — you watch the scale and we agree on the grade first. Mail-in lots are graded and weighed on arrival, then paid out. Bring a valid photo ID: Illinois law requires it for every scrap purchase.

Why should I sell to a specialist instead of my local yard?

A general yard blends carbide into mixed loads and pays a blended rate. I grade every form separately with XRF, so your inserts are never dragged down by brazed tooling in the same drum. That is the entire difference, and it is worth real money.

What does the tungsten export ban mean for my carbide price?

Since August 2026, U.S. tungsten scrap must be sold to domestic buyers through August 2027. More domestic competition for your material means structural price support — and my supply chain was already 100% domestic. Your carbide never leaves the United States.

Based in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, I buy carbide scrap across the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana — including Gary, Hammond, Merrillville, Valparaiso, and Michigan City. See all 28 Northwest Indiana towns I buy in.