Any good cutting material should have the following properties:
Hot Hardness —It must be able to maintain its hardness at an elevated temperature.
Toughness — It must be tough enough to work without fracturing as it makes contact with the material.
Wear Resistance — It must be more resistant to the natural wearing process, so it can keep cutting for longer periods of time.
Chemical Stability or Inertness — It needs to be chemically stable enough to prevent any unwanted reactions when it makes contact with the material.
Shock Resistance — It must have a high resistance to thermal and mechanical shocks, especially during intermittent cutting processes.
Low Friction — It must produce a low amount of friction, so it won’t generate as much heat when it makes contact with the cutting material.
Be sure to think about what type of cutting you’ll be performing, so you can determine what type of tool you need.