Drill bits are made in various metals to suit different types of jobs from metal work. woodwork and masonary work so have listed a chart to help you choose the correct bit for your job. You can see our range of drill bits by clicking link or visit our website pagesoftools.co.uk for our full range of DIY and hobby tools
Drill Bit Material
Drill bits may be made from a number of metals, each of which has advantages for specific applications. As the metal becomes more rigid, it also becomes more brittle and less able to be sharpened when it dulls. The table below summarises the characteristics of common drill bit materials and their preferred applications.
Drill Bit Material |
General Characteristics |
Preferred Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Low Carbon Steel | Inexpensive, require sharpening or replacement | Wood, soft plastics |
| Chrome Vanadium alloy or VA | [1] | Wood |
| High Carbon steel | May lose temper and cutting edge if overheated | Wood, metal |
| High Speed Steel or HSS | Preferred among production workers because of ability to retain temper at very high speeds | Wood, metal, plastics, most ceramics |
| Colbart Steel Alloy | High performance and longevity; more brittle than HSS | Metals including stainless steel |
| Titanium and Other Ceramic Coatings: Black oxide, Titanium Aluminium Nitride, Titanium Carbon Nitride | Give softer bits higher performance | More difficult materials than base bit could handle |
| Tungsten Carbide and Carbide Tipped | Strongest, hardest of all bits; all-carbide is very expensive; carbide-tipped is very effective at more reasonable price | Virtually any material including stone |