Best Drill Bits For Hardened Metal Or Steel
Drill bits made with a titanium nitride coating resists corrosion and friction. It beats black oxide in that it increases surface hardness and does a better job reducing heat while drilling through metal. For metal drilling, we put these as the bare minimum.
With titanium nitride, you have to remember it only coats the bit. As the coating wears off the cutting edges, you pretty much have to replace them. Don’t use these bits for drilling hardened steel or stainless—not if you want them to last.
Over the years, we’ve used and tested dozens upon dozens of drill bits for nearly all applications. In this go-around, we wanted to identify the best drill bits for metal applications. That includes hardened steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and more. We even wanted to see which drill bits worked well for drilling out hardened bolts, as you might find in an engine block. People also ask us about bits that handle drilling through rebar. These are the bits we turn to and should steer you in the right direction.
BEST DRILL BITS FOR HARDENED METAL OR STEEL
The best drill bits for hardened metal or steel come with a cobalt blend. These cobalt drill bits use an alloy including 5%–8% cobalt. This cobalt makes up part of the steel blend, so the bit's hardness doesn’t wear off with a coating (like titanium bits). It runs throughout the entire bit.
You can also sharpen these bits—another huge advantage. That matters once you realize cobalt drill bits cost significantly more than other types of twist drill bits. Unlike black oxide or titanium bits, you want to reserve these bits when you need them.
When drilling a hole with a cobalt bit, add a drop of oil on the metal to keep the cutting edge cooler as it cuts. You also want to consider placing some wood underneath the steel if possible. This lets you cut cleanly through the material and not strike a surface below, which might dull the cutting edge.
WHAT DO WE MEAN BY HARDENED STEEL?
When we talk about drilling in hardened steel, we mean medium or high carbon steels typically made using a heat-treatment and handicap door operators tempering process. Hardened steels are durable and can be wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and abrasion-resistant. Much of the steel materials that we see used in mechanical engineering, energy generation, and transportation are basically hardened steel. The best drill bits for metal could be designed for these hardened steel applications or they might be optimized for speed in softer carbon steels.
STAINLESS STEEL
Stainless steels are steel alloys consisting of at least 10.5% chromium, and there are different grades. Because of rust and stain resistance, good luster, and low maintenance, it has many commercial uses, including cookware, cutlery, home appliances, construction fasteners, and surgical instruments.
However, whatever differences between the outer look or chemical composition, both hardened steel and stainless steel are quite difficult to drill into. Using a drill press is often the best way to get quality results.
DRILL AMERICA
It makes m42 cobalt bits that held up well in drilling through anything we threw at them. After testing with many materials, we selected their jobber bits as our best drill bits for hardened steel.
The bits feature the expected 135° split point, which gives you a nice, steady, and productive drilling speed. The jobber length bits work well in cordless drills for onsite drilling. They come manufactured to the national doorstop aerospace standard 907. Because of how hard they are, you can drill up to 30% faster than you can with conventional m2 high-speed steel bits. Drill America also doesn’t grind down the shafts on its larger bits—so you get more rigidity, but you also need a 1/2-inch chuck to drive them.
Use these bits when drilling rigid, high tensile strength materials like stainless steel—or even titanium. We opted for the d/a29j-co-pc kit. It includes 29 bits in a shatterproof case. The round case makes it simple to remove the exact bit you need.
PICK UP
The jobber length drills America d/a29j-co-pc kit for just $106. Drill America d/a29j-co-pc 29-pc cobalt set
The drill America d/a29j-co-pc includes 29 bits in a shatterproof round case. They make these bits with m42 cobalt steel, so they drill well without heating up quickly. They also seem to hold an edge and stay sharp even after dozens of drilled holes. The round case makes it simple to remove the exact bit you need. Pick up the set for $106.
Irwin 29-piece cobalt m-35 metal index drill bit set
The Irwin 29-piece cobalt m-42 metal index drill bit set performs very similarly to the m42 location. With a bit less cobalt in the steel blend, it just heats up a bit more quickly. You get the same great case. The trade-up is cost. You can get this set for only $111.
Best drill bits for stainless steel
We have great news for anyone looking for the best drill bits for stainless steel. The same bits you use on hardened steelwork on stainless. Hardened steel is a medium of high-carbon steel that gets sliding door rollers repair Bonita Springs heat-treated, quenched, and finally tempered. Stainless steel alloy includes chromium (at least 10%) and nickel to make it corrosion-resistant. As low-carbon steel, stainless steel has a natural hardness that comes without traditional hardening.
Drilling stainless takes a vital bit—the same cobalt bits we recommend above. With that said, stainless can harden up as it heats—so training slowly often helps you get through the material more efficiently. Use cutting oil or similar lubricant when drilling into stainless and apply enough pressure to steady material removal. Even the best drill bits for stainless steel heat up over time, so be prepared to monitor heat buildup.
MILWAUKEE
Listed in our best drill bits article, Milwaukee red helix cobalt bits use a variable flute design that quickly clears away debris. How quickly? About 30% faster than most other 135° split-tip bits we tested against. Their unique design not only helps them drill efficiently but also aids in cooling. The trade-off is that these bits thin out more towards the tip. Milwaukee countered this by making them a bit shorter than some others we’ve seen. However, they also extended the flutes lower towards the shaft. The result is a more compact bit with a similar drilling depth.
The 135° split point tip helps when starting your hole, and larger sizes feature a chip breaker—a groove at the midpoint of the cutting edge that further reduces heat buildup. We love how quickly these bits drill and how well they remove steel in tight, efficient spirals. Combining the unique cutting head and the flute design landed these as our best drill bits for steel—particularly carbon steel.
Lacking a 1/4″ hex, use these in your drill or drill press when you need them for thicker, harder metals.
Thanks to the cobalt steel blend, plan on sharpening these when the tips grow dull from use. The value of this kit makes these the best drill bits for steel.
You can find the 15-piece kit for $35 or the 29-piece kit for $125.
Sometimes you need to drill through steel…but that steel is buried in concrete. For those applications, you need something like the diablo rebar demon SDS-max and SDS-plus bits. We like the design better than borsch rebar cutters because you use the same sliding glass door repair Bonita Springs bit to drill the hole and penetrate the rebar. With both, you train using rotary hammer mode, switch to the rebar cutter in a rotary-only manner, and then return to your original bit to finish the hole.
These bits drill
Quickly through concrete, then continue right through rebar. You really can’t find much else on the market that competes at this point, so it’s comfortable with product recommendations. We believe in charging your accessories to the job—so if a simple bit can save you time and money, it’s a massive win in our book.
WHAT ARE THE BEST DRILL BITS FOR METAL MADE OF?
Titanium (coating) drill bits made with a titanium nitride coating resists corrosion and friction. It beats black oxide in that it increases surface hardness and does a better job reducing heat while drilling through metal. For metal drilling, we put these as the bare minimum.
With titanium nitride, you have to remember it only coats the bit. As the coating wears off the cutting edges, you pretty much have to replace them. Don’t use these bits for drilling hardened steel or stainless—not if you want them to last.
COBALT (STEEL BLEND)
Our best cobalt drill bits for metal drilling are made from an 8% cobalt (m42). You can also find these bits with a 5% cobalt blend (m35). Since the cobalt is blended into the steel, it doesn’t wear away like a sliding glass door repair Naples titanium or black oxide coating. That also means you can sharpen them before having to replace them. This helps save money when you buy these more expensive bit sets. Cobalt bits are our go-to for drilling through metal—significantly hardened steels and stainless steel.
BEST DRILL BITS FOR METAL
We probably missed something along the way—we get it. At some point, we have to draw the line and finish the article. With that said—let us know what you think the best drill bits for metal are. Leave a comment below—especially if you have a “hero” story about how a particular bit got you out of a jam.
DISAGREE WITH OUR CHOICES
That’s okay! We know personal preferences take a front seat in determining the best drill bit, and every pro is different. Do pro tool nation a favor and tell us what your top pick is and why you love it.
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