Cemented carbide with binder phase enriched surface zone

A cemented carbide insert with improved toughness and resistance against plastic deformation containing WC and cubic phases of carbide and/or carbonitride in a binder phase based on Co and/or Ni with a binder phase enriched surface zone wherein the total amount of cubic phase expressed as the content of metallic elements that forms cubic carbides is between 6 and 15 weight-%, the content of cubic phases in the binder phase enriched zone, other than the surface, is essentially zero and in a zone <300 .mu.m thick below the binder phase enriched surface zone, the binder phase content is 0.85-1 times the binder phase content in the inner portion of the insert with the content of cubic phases essentially constant and equal to the content of cubic phases in the inner portion of the insert.