What are Cobalt Drill Bits Used For

Drill bits are available in various shapes and sizes. They are used to make holes in metal, wood, plastic, and other materials. There are different types of drill bits, with diamond drill bits used to drill through glass and tile, while black oxide drill bits are perfect for drilling through plastic and carbon. The auger bit and spade bit are used to drill through the wood.

Cobalt drill bits are particularly good at cutting strong metals such as stainless steel and cast iron, apart from this they can also be used on soft materials. Cobalt drill bits are made from a steel alloy that contains 5 to 8% cobalt instead of pure cobalt.

Today through this article we will know what are cobalt drill bits, what are they used for, and why choose a cobalt drill bit?

Cobalt Drill Bits

Cobalt drill bits are metal drill bits made from a mixture of high-speed steel and 5-8% cobalt. Cobalt drill bits are stronger than HSS drill bits and can easily drill through hard materials such as hardened steel and stainless steel. They also feature heat resistance, extra durability, strong impact capacity, and high strength. 

What is Cobalt Drill Bits Used For

Cobalt drill bits are used for cutting hard alloy steel, tool steel, cast iron, and aluminum alloys. In addition to metals, they can also cut soft materials. However, they are not made to cut soft materials like wood or plastic. For precise drilling through wood, you'll need separate wood drill bits. Cobalt drill bits have almost all of the same properties as HSS drill bits, however, they are more expensive.

Some fabricators believe that cobalt drill bits are made of pure cobalt, but it is not so, they are made of a steel alloy with 5 to 8 percent cobalt for cutting various hard metals including stainless steel and cast iron. These contain some amount of cobalt, therefore they are called cobalt drill bits.

Benefits of Choosing Cobalt Drill Bits

The most significant advantage of choosing cobalt drill bits over other high-strength drill bits is that they do not get their hardness from a hard alloy coating on the surface. As the hardness of a cobalt drill bit is consistent throughout the material, it can be sharpened as needed. You can use a bench grinder or a belt sander to sharpen drill bits regularly.

• Cobalt drill bits feature extra strength and durability as they contain 5-8 percent cobalt element.
• It has an advantage over high-speed steel as it is effective against hard metals, stainless steel, and cast iron.
• It is more wear-resistant than HSS and can perform at high temperatures.
• This requires a smaller flute which is less likely to snap during use and gives a better impact than HSS drill bits.

Conclusion

Although cobalt drill bits are often more expensive than traditional drill bits, they are a good investment if you regularly drill through metal. To fulfill other drilling requirements, you can also have our drill bit sets to get every type of drill bit you want.

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