Sourcing cemented carbide saw tips from China

0% duty on unmounted saw tips

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 October 2026, heading 8209 covers plates, sticks, tips and similar tool parts, unmounted, of cermets. Loose cemented carbide saw tips intended for brazing fall within the other tips category, 8209 00 80 00. Complete tools with tips require a separate classification.

The supplied tariff record gives 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control recorded. Import VAT is separate from customs duty. The record contains only the indexable-insert and other-tip commodity lines; the table therefore shows the relevant saw-tip line.

Confirm the commodity code using the material specification, drawing and whether the tips arrive loose or mounted. See the carbide inserts and tool tips guide for the wider heading.

Specify the carbide grade and brazing condition

State the material to be sawn, blade design, cutting conditions and whether cutting is continuous or interrupted. Specify the carbide grade, binder composition, grain structure and agreed hardness data. A supplier's grade name alone is insufficient for comparing factories.

Provide a drawing showing length, width, thickness, corner shape, tolerances and grinding allowance. State whether tips are supplied as sintered, ground or with a prepared brazing surface. Agree the brazing alloy and process with your blade maker, then approve samples after brazing, grinding and cutting trials.

HSE guidance includes safe-use information and instructions, updates to that information, and necessary testing or examination among workplace-product supply duties. Ask the supplier for handling and processing information relevant to the specified tips, and retain the trial results with the batch records.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 20,000 unmounted cemented carbide saw tips, illustrative order under 8209 00 80 00, invoiced at £36,000 free on board, with £800 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £36,800. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £36,800, so it is £7,360. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Dimensions: measure sampled tips against the drawing, including thickness, corner shape and grinding allowance; check that the brazing face sits correctly in the blade seat.

Material and condition: match batch labels to the agreed grade and material records; inspect for chips, cracks and contamination on the brazing face.

Brazing and cutting: use samples from the delivered batch in your agreed assembly process; inspect the joints and compare edge wear, chipping and cut quality with the approved trial.

Packing and traceability: check that grades and shapes remain separated, tips cannot collide freely in transit, and packs retain batch identification. Use the quality inspection guide to agree the inspection brief.

What goes wrong

A tip can match the drawing but use a grade that chips or wears too quickly on your material. Dirty brazing faces, an unsuitable assembly process or insufficient grinding allowance can also spoil the finished blade. Replacing the tip grade without repeating the assembly trial leaves these problems unresolved.

Mixed grades and transport damage are harder to trace once tips enter production. Keep batches separate, photograph arrival defects and hold suspect stock before brazing. Approve changes to grade, surface preparation and dimensions through fresh samples rather than accepting a supplier's claim of equivalence.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.