Hardmetal (sintered carbide) - This is a material where hard carbide grains are bonded together with a cobalt binder. The risk is called cobalt leaching. Disruption of the cobalt binder in the surface layer causes loss of cohesion of the carbide grains and consequent loss of adhesion of the newly applied coating.

Not all carbide tools can be decoated or all coatings on carbide tools can be safely removed.

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TiN, TiCN, TiAlN, TiSiN, AlTiN, TiAlSiN, TiAlCrN, TiB2, ZrN

- Removing the coating without disturbing the carbide

- Possibility of decoating an already sharpened tool

- Appearance after deburring indistinguishable from a new tool

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AlCrN, CrN, DLC

- Difficult to remove coatings

- Slight cobalt attack, loss of tool shine

- Sharpened tools after decoating process