Clearance control systems are used in gas turbine engines to optimize operational efficiency and safety. In the hotter sections of the engine, ceramic abradable materials are used on the stationary components, which requires that the rotating components, i.e., the blades, are protected with durable tips that can cut into the abradable in case of an incursion. Cubic Boron Nitride (cBN) is used as the cutting medium. Nearly as hard as diamond, cBN exhibits sharp edges that readily cut into the abradable material and it is lubricious, thereby protecting the blade.