A diamond wheel can lose its abrasive qualities very quickly if it is used to grind steel. Some diamonds wheels have a maximum operating temperature below that which occurs during the grinding of steel.
Diamond wheels are best used for grinding materials like composites, plastic, stone, wood, aluminum, copper, and glass. A wheel made of PCBN or polycrystalline cubic boron nitride is more effective for grinding steel.
Diamond is the best choice for grinding ceramic, glass, and tungsten carbide, materials used in making dental and hip prostheses, according to James Benes, author of "All About Abrasives." The diamond can be bonded in the wheel with resin, glass, or metal. A metal-bonded diamond wheel has the greatest mechanical strength.