The steel doesn't transition smoothly to carbide instead there was a step of maybe 0.7mm or so that I had to sharpen myself. I also own an American Malco A50 and prefer it to this one. But it helped me when a replacement for the lost A50 Malco came in the mail. Feels firmer than the Malco, but the Malco's thin tip is better for marking on the edge of something. Much easier than doing this right.