"Vanadium drill bits"

Aukai

Aukai

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Where do Vanadium drill bits fit into the hierarchy of bits, HSS, Cobalt, carbide, etc?
 
I believe that "vanadium" tools are just carbon steel; suitable for wood or plastic but not really for metal work.
 
Vanadium is a component of most HSS. Not quite the heat resistance of cobalt
 
It has "HSSE" Vanadium drill bit.
 
It is made by OSG, a name company, but apparently the bit is not in the upper realm of durability like carbide.
 
benmychree said:
If the title does not say HSS, assume that it is not.
Click to expand...
HSS should be a minimum.

I once made the mistake of using up marketed carbon steel drills where it really mattered.
So Concordia University has weather monitoring stations around the province for environmental researcher. Basic wind, humidity, sun direction and so on. And I was out there needing to drill holes in stainless steel. I had purchased the below drills from the local hardware thinking they were HSS plus cryogenic treatment for a minimal benefit. Far from it, the chisel point was able to drill through then the flutes just disintegrated in a hot red mess. Making what looked like a counter bore tool. So there I was an hour hike from the nearest road, and an hour drive from the nearest hardware store, late February cold, and a station that needs to run yesterday. I happened to have a battery powered dewalt angle grinder in my pack, so I ground an impact screw driver bit into what resembled a spotting drill and was able to finish the holes and run the wires.

So keep your tool batteries inside your inner jacket pockets, have an unleaded gas fueled stove on hand to warm your hands, as propane/butane and alcohols don't burn well or at all below freezing. Then you will be better prepared for construction work in the field for winter.

 
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