HSS Drill Bits: Features and Differences

HSS drill bits for the drill are a fundamental element for any professional or DIY enthusiast. The reason for this statement is simple: they are effective. They can drill with determination and withstand even the hardest work over time.

That's why they can't be missing from your toolbox. But perhaps, before buying the best HSS drill bits in various diameters, you want to take a look at the technical characteristics and opportunities you can take advantage of thanks to these advanced drilling tools. A drilling that reaches the highest standards through high speed steel. What are we talking about?

What is HSS and what are its characteristics

With the HSS acronym we mean high speed steel, that is super-fast steel. It is a material suitable for making cutting tools that operate at high speed while maintaining unchanged technical characteristics and performance.

In fact, one of the fundamental options of HSS is the ability to maintain a cutting speed much higher than standard steel. Its technical characteristics remain unchanged up to a temperature of 600 degrees Celsius

Moreover, HSS maintains great resistance to breaking. All this is possible thanks to the HSS manufacturing process which provides for a particular process: the steel is annealed and then tempered until the characteristics are reached.

How many types of HSS steel exist on the market?

The fusion of molybdenum, tungsten and chromium steel generates the alloys that we call HSS: if we add percentages of cobalt we have superior properties in terms of hardness and heat resistance. The tools, like drill bits and mills as we can see in the image below taken from Wikipedia, that add 5% cobalt are known as HSSE or HSS-E.

Why choose HSS with cobalt? They have similar characteristics to standard HSS M2 but with better performance in terms of durability and cutting speed. This is even more evident for models that aim for 8% cobalt in the structure. If we add TiAlN coating (Titanium aluminium nitride) we have more hardness, oxidation resistance and high temperatures.

Want to try other types of coating? There's TiCN - titanium carbonitride - which is perfect for work that demands maximum cutting speed and superior heat resistance. With these drill bits you can have advanced tools at your side.

Why is an HSS drill bit so useful?

With high speed steel, saws, mills and of course drill bits of any diameter can be made. This material is very widespread today because superior to tools composed of high carbon steel because it can resist better.

In other words, if you choose HSS drill bits you can achieve higher temperatures without losing its hardness. HSS drill bits show advanced hardness and wear resistance thanks to the presence of tungsten and vanadium.

These characteristics make the difference compared to structures composed only of iron and carbon. In addition to high heat and break resistance, the presence of HSS steel in drill bits results in drilling speeds above average.

The point to consider is this: certainly it's worth having a good set of HSS drill bits in the workshop, regardless of the level of professionalism and specialization. These solutions are fundamental for everyone, even for simple DIY and DIY enthusiasts.

For example, which drill bits to use for extremely hard metals?

Those with the high speed steel label. And how to drill iron, hard plastic, plexiglass or wood with extreme precision? Always using HSS drill bits. In this case take a look at the Krino catalog where you can find drill bits with 5% and 8% cobalt.

Which HSS drill bits should I purchase?

The choice of HSS bit depends on needs. For example, to drill metal you can use N-type HSS drill bits with a standard blade. W models are perfect for soft materials like aluminum and copper while H type is for tough but brittle conditions, so plexiglass and hard plastic. Another difference: are rolling HSS drill bits HSS-R rolled or HSS-G ground better?

In the first case the bit is created by heating and modeling a metal bar while in the second case metal is removed from the material. This solution is indicated for precision work, the first instead is a valid bit for every occasion.