A drilling tool (100, 100a, 100b, 100c, 200), comprising: a shank (104, 204) having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end being adapted to be secured to a drill string component; a crown (102, 202) extending from the second end of the shank (104, 204), the crown (102, 202) comprising a matrix of hard particulate material and a carbide-forming alloy, a cutting face, and a crown body between the cutting face and the shank (104, 204); wherein the hard particulate material is a powdered material that comprises one or more of carbide, tungsten, iron, cobalt, and/or molybdenum and carbides, borides, or alloys thereof; and a plurality of abrasive cutting elements (110, 110a) secured at least partially within the matrix of the crown, characterized in that: the drilling tool is infiltrated with a binder, wherein the binder does not comprise a carbide-forming material; wherein the plurality of abrasive cutting elements are uncoated; wherein the carbide-forming alloy is provided as a powder; wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix forms an intermediate metallic layer that directly bonds with the binder and the hard particulate material of the matrix, and wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix forms a direct carbide bond with at least one uncoated abrasive cutting element of the plurality of uncoated abrasive cutting elements (110, 110a), wherein the drilling tool does not comprise oxide layers between the at least one uncoated abrasive cutting element and the carbide forming alloy of the matrix, and wherein the plurality of abrasive cutting elements (110, 110a) comprise a plurality of diamond cutting elements, and wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix is configured to convert portions of the diamond cutting element to a carbide to form the direct carbide bond between the carbide-forming alloy and the diamond cutting elements. a shank (104, 204) having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end being adapted to be secured to a drill string component; a crown (102, 202) extending from the second end of the shank (104, 204), the crown (102, 202) comprising a matrix of hard particulate material and a carbide-forming alloy, a cutting face, and a crown body between the cutting face and the shank (104, 204); wherein the hard particulate material is a powdered material that comprises one or more of carbide, tungsten, iron, cobalt, and/or molybdenum and carbides, borides, or alloys thereof; and a plurality of abrasive cutting elements (110, 110a) secured at least partially within the matrix of the crown, characterized in that: the drilling tool is infiltrated with a binder, wherein the binder does not comprise a carbide-forming material; wherein the plurality of abrasive cutting elements are uncoated; wherein the carbide-forming alloy is provided as a powder; wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix forms an intermediate metallic layer that directly bonds with the binder and the hard particulate material of the matrix, and wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix forms a direct carbide bond with at least one uncoated abrasive cutting element of the plurality of uncoated abrasive cutting elements (110, 110a), wherein the drilling tool does not comprise oxide layers between the at least one uncoated abrasive cutting element and the carbide forming alloy of the matrix, and wherein the plurality of abrasive cutting elements (110, 110a) comprise a plurality of diamond cutting elements, and wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix is configured to convert portions of the diamond cutting element to a carbide to form the direct carbide bond between the carbide-forming alloy and the diamond cutting elements. the drilling tool is infiltrated with a binder, wherein the binder does not comprise a carbide-forming material; wherein the plurality of abrasive cutting elements are uncoated; wherein the carbide-forming alloy is provided as a powder; wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix forms an intermediate metallic layer that directly bonds with the binder and the hard particulate material of the matrix, and wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix forms a direct carbide bond with at least one uncoated abrasive cutting element of the plurality of uncoated abrasive cutting elements (110, 110a), wherein the drilling tool does not comprise oxide layers between the at least one uncoated abrasive cutting element and the carbide forming alloy of the matrix, and wherein the plurality of abrasive cutting elements (110, 110a) comprise a plurality of diamond cutting elements, and wherein the carbide-forming alloy of the matrix is configured to convert portions of the diamond cutting element to a carbide to form the direct carbide bond between the carbide-forming alloy and the diamond cutting elements.