# Carbide or HSS



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

Carbide seems to be the industry standard for router bits. I have noticed, however, that Lee Valley offer spiral bits in both carbide and HSS. The HSS variety is about 1/3rd of the price of the carbide. Also, they offer a 3/4" spiral bit which I have not seen elsewhere.

Lee Valley generally do not sell poor tools so I am taking their HSS offering seriously. Can anyone comment on the relative merits of HSS and carbide in this application?


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## Rasterick (Dec 11, 2008)

HSS generally tend to give a cleaner cut (when sharp), while and the normal straight cutters can be resharpened. TCT cutters tend to wear a lot better, and are more forgiving in man made boards (Ply, MDF etc). So I suppose they both have their merits. We don't have a Le Valley here in England, but if you are happy with them, then the HSS seem like a good buy.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Go with carbide. That's more the standard for woodworking. Routers turn at very high speed, and that will kill a HSS bit. Carbide bits stay sharp longer.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi,

Carbide is the best choice on the market. They will outlast a HSS bit. The downside to a carbide bit is, they are more fragile than HSS bits because of the carbide.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

I liked the idea of saving money, so I bought a HSS 1/2" spiral up cut bit. This bit was used for 1 mounting plate installation which was done in 1/4" deep cuts, after making the 5 passes needed the bit had over heated (turned blue) and lost it's edge. That is the last HSS bit I will waste my money on. Unless you are working with plywood or a laminate the best bit for straight cutting is a solid carbide spiral up cut bit.


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

HSS is great . . . for routing Jello.


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

Ruined a 1/2" HSS bit in MDF in about 15 minutes, turned super dark blue, black at the tip.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi all,

It sounds like a few now understand why I hate HSS bits.


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## Rasterick (Dec 11, 2008)

I have just picked up a copy of Fine Woodworking (Winter 2008/09 No 202). It has a good article in it about Carbide bits etc (page 28).


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## garycurtis (Sep 17, 2007)

HSS bits sold by Lee Valley were made available to work with one specific machine. A WoodRat. It is a router-powered 3 axis milling machine, and WoodRat of England has a very wide selection of HSS dovetail bits and 3 sizes of straight bits,

WoodRat specifies the bits because a dovetail made of HSS has an extremely narrow profile. That is the prime reason for having them. I own about 15 of them, and the dovetail joints they cut are almost indistinguishable from hand-cut dovetails. End of story. Look at a table showing the angle sizes of various DT bits and you'll see why. I have a few that are as narrow as 6°. WoodRat makes one that is 28mm wide. That's about 1 3/8ths. 

Never ever use a HSS tool on plywood or MDF. It is not nearly as hard as carbide. While HSS can easily be sharpened using a diamond paddle, the steel dulls much faster. It cannot take the heat generated by engineered woods. I've cut hardwood, and even some Doug Fir 4x4's with them and had no problems.

Here is a controversial advantage to HSS. They can be sharper. Not everyone agrees on that. It's because the grain size is much smaller than that of carbide. The tools aren't as brittle as carbide. Consider your application before being swayed by the price. HSS is somewhat specialized.

Gary Curtis
Northern California


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## dovetail_65 (Jan 22, 2008)

I believe that is a fact that after the initial sharpening HSS is sharper, but carbide retains a better edge longer, much longer.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi,

They each have their uses. But, for a DT to be less than a 14*, you take away the strength of the joint.


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## garycurtis (Sep 17, 2007)

The narrow profile dovetails allow more to be squeezed into something like a drawer front, so the additional tails beef up the strength. 

Carbide dovetails end up looking clumsy and flag the fact that they were made by machine. 


Gary Curtis


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

garycurtis said:


> The narrow profile dovetails allow more to be squeezed into something like a drawer front, so the additional tails beef up the strength.
> 
> Carbide dovetails end up looking clumsy and flag the fact that they were made by machine.
> 
> ...



Hi Gary,

I guess it boils down to personal preference. Each their own. 

Cheers.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Just adding my two pennyworth to an interesting discussion. I have been routing well before TC bits were introduced, and at the time found nothing wrong with HSS bits, but in retrospect I think it was a case of "what you've never had you never miss". The only HSS bits that I now use on odd occasions, are small diameter 1/4" shank ones left over from an earlier age.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Guys I guess I need to add my 2 cents


I can almost see the guy at the wood working supply store when you ask him for HSS router bits ,,he would say we stop selling them years and years ago..  just about all router bits now have carb.cutters on them...can I show you that bit in the new type ?

=========

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## reuelt (Dec 29, 2008)

Small size HSS bits are still made in Australia by Carbitools.

When bit size is small (1/4 inch or less), it is difficult to accurately weld small TCT to the shank. Even if it can be done, the small TCT could easily fall off because weld surfaces are small.

Hence for small size bits, SOLID carbide or HSS bits are better.

Special HSS router bits are preferred when routing Aluminium and Plastics & solid timber.


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