carbide can give a good cut but going to get it sharpened gets old very fast. one race meet i went to was for four days and was about 5 hours drive away, on the first day my carbide bit dulled and i had to borrow lathes for the rest of the event. so sure you can get a carbide bit sharpened all the time but the machine shop isnt always gonna be there. i have the trinity and if i was gonna do it over i would get the cobra or try my hardest to get a twister. a guy i know has had the same twister lathe and diamond bit for 15 years, now thats quality.