Tungsten carbide tips and blanks are four times harder than titanium, twice as hard as steel, virtually unscratchable, and have been widely used for decades in industrial applications as cutting tools, mining machinery, and rocket engine nozzles. The extreme hardness of tungsten carbide tips and blanks makes them useful in the manufacture of cutting tools, abrasive and bearings, as a cheaper and more heat-resistant alternative to diamond. Tungsten carbide tips and blanks are also used as scratchy-resistant material for jewelry including watch bands and wedding rings.