HSS Cutting Tools

I Googled & found this: SGS Solid Carbide Rotary Cutting Tools.
That's not carbide, it's Kryptonite!

I think that these ease and variability of sharpening HSS will always make it desirable in the shop. Especially as one finds himself needing to square a shoulder and the such. As for carbide, I would like to see a shop tool that made carbide tooling easier to recondition.

So as to their future; I hope it is ongoing.

cr3

When you say future, its bright as before. On a mass production/regular machining activities, yes, Carbides hold an upper hand. If you look at conventional/tool room type applications, I personally feel there is no alternative for HSS tools, because of the flexibility it offers in reconditioning in terms of shape, form and size....

Long live HSS

MR. Idiotalways

I use the expression "compromise of conditions" to describe the selection of cutting tools. I don't believe there is ever the perfect cutting tool for any machining application. If there was then tools would always leave a perfect finish and would never dull or break. While High Speed Steel is not as hard as carbide, it offers economy of manufacturing cost, and because it is not as fragile as carbide it is less likely to shatter when used as a for drilling or reaming, and it can be ground into shapes that would be too fragile if done in carbide. So, while carbide is becomming more and more advanced with submicrograin and cryogenic treatment and various coatings, HSS will likely be with us for a long time to come.

I wouldn't be suprised if someone comes up with something even better than carbide in the near future because there are new alloys that are very dificult to machine even with the best carbides. I doubt if they will be cheap. There are cutters made of ceramics and industrial diamond and they are certainly not cheap nor are they right for every application.

I agree with your response, Garyceng.

from a market and deployed equipment point of view, I would only add that as more and more CNC machines replace the ever declining number of cam operated and manual machines that generally run at HSS speeds, the share of custom ground HSS tools required is sure to decline; That means mass of HSS required will decline.

As cnc's and their software, and tool materials and coatings continue to advance, out of the box carbide tooling which can run at higher speeds will be able to do that which now requires 'free hand' form tooling.

HSS is less brittle and so will always have certain niche applications, but I see it as a declining market in North America, and likely world wide.

If you think (Lean) about the mass req'd to do the job, Carbide wins hands down.

My 2 sense.

milo

You are spot on, the cost of those new carbide and ceramic cutters is just too much for the average tool shop. If you are a single man band, doing the repair work for the bloke around the corner and many other one offs, you will never use carbide as you would need too many different sets of everything.

HSS is lovely and will stay as it is the best in its field. Carbide will grow and so will ceramic. But it will never replace HSS in those little tool shops that can turn around your repaired shaft in a day or so. Those big cnc houses need turnover and large quantities.

"HSS ROCKS"

I hate to say it but unless training is improved in the machine trawdes HSS tooling will be a thing of the past. I have managed tool & die makers which just gave me dumb looks when I gave them HSS blanks to do a job. These "journeyman had no clue how to go about grinding them to usable configuation.

"just gave me dumb looks"

It is really a shame that you have to check their knuckles before you hire them. I have found that the only way to get people with the training I want them to have is to do the training myself. That of course has limited potential.

To expound on the HSS vs carbide discussion, I do use about 90% carbide endmills but I also use about 95% HSS drills and reamers. I don't use HSS boring bars except in emergency. Any endmill over 1/2" will likely be HSS because the cost of nicking or knocking the tip off of a 3/4 carbide endmill is absurd. It is very hard to teach employees to take care of expensive cutters when they didn't have to pay for them. I have become a very big fan of carbide insert tools. For economy and quality of cutting they can't be beat.

you most likely go to the wrong people or "knuckle dragger's". I guarantee you that HSS is not dead and won't die any day soon as long as carbide and ceramics are so expensive.

As far as HSS goes. Its here its staying. yes carbide is wonderful especially on long production runs. you cant go wrong. but if you need a tool right away and don't have the carbide counterpart. HSS is the answer just go to the grinder and fire off what you need. Theyre inexpensive and great for aluminum