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Need some advice: What brand of HSS Tool Blanks should I stock?

exkenna

exkenna

Stainless
Joined
Nov 29, 2007
Location
North Alabama
Hey guys, I don't post here much but lurk from time to time.

My background is mostly indexable carbide but I think I would like to stock some HSS tool blanks on my webstore.

Here's my question: I'm somewhat familiar with the Momax products of old, (and Tantung) but what domestic brands and grades are you guys buying nowadays? I googled several terms to find who still makes these items in the U.S. but it looks like slim pickings.

What brand/grade/sizes should I stock?

Thanks for your help.

X
 
I grab anything i can find. I have 100's of all sizes in stock. They make great parallels in pairs on my SBL shaper also, plus my shaper uses them...Bob
 
Sorry, got caught up in the moment. Get 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4". The handiness of having them can save ALOT of time in setups and "how in hell am I going to get this done". I'd be lost without HSS tool bits. They can be used for so many things!
 
Last edited:
I use mostly Rex 95. It keeps hardness even during agressive grinding.

I use 1/4, 5/16 and 3/8 squares mostly, though I do have some small rounds which work well for boring bars, and single lip cutters.

A good selection of thin parting blades (T shaped and tapered) would be good to have too.

allan
 
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
Is one more question allowed?

Other than the usual suspects (fastenal, mcmaster carr, enco etc) are there any sources I can check prices against?
Typically those mentioned are very high on price, I usually don't have trouble beating them.. but haven't price checked these types of items yet.
Maybe I'll have time this week.

Victornet had some generic usa made stuff that seemed reasonably priced but I have no idea who the mfg is.
 
I like Circle C (T-5 HSS) and Vasco supreme and Rex CPM T-15 (T-15) they are extremely abrasion resistant and much harder to grind than Mo-Max (M-1) plus they hold up much better too. There is a bunch of very good cutter bits from long out of business companies floating around at flea markets and model shows. They can be picked up from a few cents each to 2-3 dollars each. Some of them are ugly, rough, hot rolled shapes but put nice looking China bits to shame.

There is also several grades of stellite (it's non magnetic) that is even harder to grind but takes an amazing amount of punishment and keeps on cutting.


Rex AAA is a T-4 HSS
Rex 95 is T-8 The toughest of the Cobalt high speed steels.


Yes it's slim picking for new these days M-2, M-42 and T-15 seem to be about it, carbide dominates the market.

Any new old stock (NOS) US Mfg. is far better then China any day.

Bill
 
duh!

thanks ArthurMarks!

i completely forgot that they also offer blanks in addition to their HSS insert tools.

sounds like a natural combo for exkenna??
 
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