A hard faced article comprising an iron or steel substrate having on the surface thereof a weld deposit composed of a solidified iron or steel matrix containing a hard facing material comprising chemically combined vanadium and carbon having tungsten composition wherein said chemically combined vanadium and carbon with tungsten composition consist essentially of a solid solution of vanadium, tungsten and carbon composition and is substantially uniformly distributed throughout said solidified iron or steel matrix, said composition consisting essentially of at least one vanadium carbide with tungsten in solid solution with each vanadium carbide in an amount from about 10% by weight up to solid solubility limit of tungsten in each vanadium carbide.