What matters is that the tungsten is ground lengthways on a wheel kept only for tungsten — a wheel used on steel embeds contaminants that end up in the weld. A bench grinder with a fine wheel reserved for the job does this perfectly well.
A purpose-made tungsten grinder adds a repeatable angle and a diamond wheel that cuts rather than rubs, plus dust containment. That last point matters most for thoriated tungsten, which is another argument for using lanthanated instead.
The questions welders ask
What angle should I set?
Roughly two to two and a half times the electrode diameter for the taper length — a longer, finer point for low current and fine work, blunter for higher current. On AC the tip balls slightly in use and that is normal.
Last reviewed 2026-08-14