At the beginning of the paper, an introduction to the processing of materials by particle separation was made. Material processing procedures, types of tools and types of materials used for processing are described. In addition, conventional materials that have been used for one hundred years for the production of cutting tools are described. Then, an introduction is made into the subject itself, i.e., hard metals, which are the main research subject of this paper. Hard metals, like most materials for making cutting tools, have been used for almost a century. They are made chemically, with the idea to make a material that will have better mechanical and other properties needed when it comes to tools that have cutting blades. Of course, costeffectiveness is also very important, which includes the cost of making the material, but also the cost of the tool itself and its longevity, i.e., its expiration date. Mechanical properties which are essential for the manufacture of tools are primarily hardness, toughness and the influence of temperature on these properties. Thus, the research is primarily based on the study of procedures that would improve these properties and reduce the wear of the tool itself, with as little impact on changes in other properties which are important for the operation and durability of the tool. Today, the ecological impact is important in everything, so this should also be taken into account. Today's technology enables rapid development, as well as research that will ensure the development of economical machine tools, tools and materials needed in the industry. Because of the fact that in recent times the development and discovery of various materials is based on the development of nanoparticles, new discoveries and applications of nano materials in metallurgy are sought to improve existing tools.