Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
If by "bad wood" you mean abrasive wood, the turners have answered this question as did Kato and Kawai. Add more hard carbides to the steel. Vanadium and tungsten carbide will cut silica crystals deposited in wood. You already know what silica will do the carbon steel- sharpen it. If you can sharpen your XHP with an ARK stone you know what silica crystals will do to the edge.