Patent ID: 8007714

Claim:
A method comprising: consolidating metallurgical powder to form a green billet, wherein the metallurgical powder comprises: a plurality of hard particles selected from the group consisting of carbides, nitrides, borides, silicides, oxides, and solid solutions thereof; and a binder material comprising: a metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, and alloys thereof; and at least one melting point reducing constituent; selecting the at least one melting point reducing constituent to comprise at least one of a transition metal carbide up to 60 weight percent, a transition metal boride up to 60 weight percent, a transition metal silicide up to 60 weight percent, a transition metal up to 50 weight percent, boron up to 10 weight percent, silicon up to 20 weight percent, chromium up to 20 weight percent, and manganese up to 25 weight percent, wherein the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the binder; and forming a fixed cutter bit body substantially comprised of a composite material from the green billet.