Whether you are fixing up the walls in the basement, putting together the kids crib, or putting up a towel handle in the bathroom, at some point you’ll need to drill a hole. You probably already got a drill, somewhere. Now you need the drill bits. And confronted with the choices in a hardware store, you are liable to wonder why are the prices so different, and what the heck is HSS…
So here is a primer for you newbies, (and not so newbies) as to the main choice of drill bit materials out there.
Low Carbon Steel Drill Bits
This is the cheapest option. Best used only on softwood. This type requires frequent sharpening and has a relatively short life span.
High Carbon Steel Drill Bits
This is the next step on the price (and hardness) ladder. These bits can be used on hardwood and even some metals. On the down side, they have low resistance to heat and loose sharpness pretty quickly.
High Speed Steel Drill Bits (HSS Drill Bits)
Nowadays these have mostly replaced the older Carbon steel bits on the market. HSS bits are significantly more resistant to heat, and therefore they are well suited to most wood and metal jobs.
Titanium Coated Drill Bits
Titanium coating makes these bits harder and therefore last longer than the common HSS bits.
Of the different Titanium coatings, the most common are Titanium Nitride (TiN), Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAN) and Titanium Carbon Nitride (TiCN). These coatings can increase the lifespan of a drill by three, five and more times, with TiAN considered the most long lasting. Unfortunately, though, coated bits cannot be resharpened properly when dulled -- the coating will be gone, and so will all its benefits.
Carbide Tipped Drill Bits
These are very hard, dissipate heat quickly and hold an edge longer than others. On the down side, though, they are brittle and are likely to chip.
Cobalt Drill Bits
Again, cobalt bits retain hardness at much higher temperatures than the HSS but are more brittle. They are mostly used for drilling stainless steel and other metals.
Diamond Drill Bits
As diamond is the hardest material known to man, diamond drill bits (which contain a layer of diamond particles) are used for the toughest surfaces, such as glass, granite, ceramics, etc. These are often used in the aerospace and automotive industries.
So here is a primer for you newbies, (and not so newbies) as to the main choice of drill bit materials out there.
Low Carbon Steel Drill Bits
This is the cheapest option. Best used only on softwood. This type requires frequent sharpening and has a relatively short life span.
High Carbon Steel Drill Bits
This is the next step on the price (and hardness) ladder. These bits can be used on hardwood and even some metals. On the down side, they have low resistance to heat and loose sharpness pretty quickly.
High Speed Steel Drill Bits (HSS Drill Bits)
Nowadays these have mostly replaced the older Carbon steel bits on the market. HSS bits are significantly more resistant to heat, and therefore they are well suited to most wood and metal jobs.
Titanium Coated Drill Bits
Titanium coating makes these bits harder and therefore last longer than the common HSS bits.
Of the different Titanium coatings, the most common are Titanium Nitride (TiN), Titanium Aluminum Nitride (TiAN) and Titanium Carbon Nitride (TiCN). These coatings can increase the lifespan of a drill by three, five and more times, with TiAN considered the most long lasting. Unfortunately, though, coated bits cannot be resharpened properly when dulled -- the coating will be gone, and so will all its benefits.
Carbide Tipped Drill Bits
These are very hard, dissipate heat quickly and hold an edge longer than others. On the down side, though, they are brittle and are likely to chip.
Cobalt Drill Bits
Again, cobalt bits retain hardness at much higher temperatures than the HSS but are more brittle. They are mostly used for drilling stainless steel and other metals.
Diamond Drill Bits
As diamond is the hardest material known to man, diamond drill bits (which contain a layer of diamond particles) are used for the toughest surfaces, such as glass, granite, ceramics, etc. These are often used in the aerospace and automotive industries.
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