Single Cut vs Double Cut Carbide Burr

Carbide Burrs or often recognized as Rotary Burrs for metal are widely used for cutting, shaping, grinding, removing sharp edges, burrs, and excess material (deburring). They perform the rapid removal of excess material on metals. The carbide burrs are also used in the removal of unshaped edges. Carbide burrs are used on coated abrasives before finishing or polishing.

Carbide burrs are generally used for metalworking, tools manufacturing, engineering, model engineering, wood carving, jewelry making, welding, chamfering, casting, deburring, grinding, and plate port sculpting.

A Carbide or Rotary burr for metal is usually made either from tungsten carbide or from high strength steel (HSS). Tungsten carbide burr bits last longer and under higher temperatures, it doesn’t melt, and perform effectively.

TYPES OF CARBIDE BURRS

Carbide Rotary Burrs are used to cut, shape, grind and remove sharp edges, burrs, and excess material, also referred to as rotary files or die grinder bits for hard steel.

Carbide Burrs are usually available in two cuts; Single Cut and Double Cut (Diamond Cut) burr.

Let’s understand them individually,

1. Single Cut Carbide Burr

A single cut carbide burr has a spiral flute with a right-handed (Up cut). Single cut burr is ideal for cutting hard metals such as chrome steel, hard steel, copper, cast iron, and ferrous metals. By cutting the material rapidly, a single cut carbide burr can provide a smooth finish surface.

Applications of Single Cut Carbide Burr:

• Heavy removal of fabric 
• Milling
• Deburring
• Cleaning
• Creates long chips

2. Double Cut Carbide Burr

A Double cut carbide burr is best to use with ferrous and non-ferrous metals, aluminum, soft steel, and for all non-metal materials like plastics and wood. Double cut burr has enough cutting edges to remove excess material quickly. 

Double cut burrs are also known as a diamond-cut burr or cross-cut burr (2 flutes cut across each other). They provide a highly smooth finish surface than a single cut carbide burr. 

Applications of Double Cut Carbide Burr:

• Medium-light removal of fabric 
• Deburring
• Fine finishing
• Cleaning
• Smooth finish
• Creates small chips

Single Cut vs. Double Cut Carbide Burr (What to Use)

Single cut carbide burrs have a right-hand (up-cut) spiral flute. These burrs are excellent to use with hard metals like stainless steel, hardened steel, copper, cast iron, and ferrous metals. Although, single cut burr comparatively provides a less smooth surface but removes material rapidly. The main application of single cut carbide burr is to milling, deburring, and cleaning heavy stock.

Double cut carbide burrs are designed to use with soft metals like aluminum, soft steel, and also for all non-metal materials such as plastics, hardwood, and ceramic. Double cut burr is also known as Diamond Cut or Cross Cut and provides a much smoother finish than a single cut burr as the material is cut away so smaller chips are produced. For medium-light stock removal, deterioration, finishing, and cleaning use double cut. 

Double cut carbide burrs are the most popular for the following applications:

• Medium-light removal of material
• Deburring
• Fine finishing
• Cleaning
• Smooth finish
• Creates small chips

What are the Differences between Single Cut vs. Double Cut Burr?

Following are the major differences between single cut burr and double-cut carbide burr:

• Material Difference:  Single cut carbide burr is perfect for hard materials like iron, steel, copper, and other hard metals. Whereas Double cut carbide burr is suitable for soft metals like aluminum, plastic, and wood
• Chip Extraction: Single cut burr is not ideal for chip extraction. Double cut burr is better for chip extraction as burr have more grooves.
• Surface Smoothness: Single cut burr provides less surface smoothness. While your metal needs high surface smoothness prefer double-cut diamond burr.
• Operation Experience: As a beginner, It is not easy to control a single cut burr while operating. Single cut burr causes “Burrs Jumping” (missing the targeting point and burr jump to another place). Whereas Double cut burr is easy to control, handle, and ideal carbide burr tool for beginners. 

Uses of Carbide Burr Tools

These carbide burrs have wide applications in metalworking, tools designing, woodworking, jewelry making, welding, casting, deburring, grinding, porting of cylinder heads, and sculpting. Carbide burrs also used in the aerospace, automobile, dentistry, stone, and metal industries.

Carbide burrs are best to use with power tools such as die grinders, high-speed fabricators, and hydraulic rotary tools.