135°split point drill bit (L) and 118° point

The two most common drill point styles are 135° split point and 118°. As you can see from the picture, the 135° has four cutting edges while the 118° has two.

Which is best for your applications?

135° split point

• Drills faster – 4 cutting edges
• Works well on curved shapes and hardened materials such as high alloy steels and stainless steel
• Suitable for hand drilling, drill presses, and CNC’s
• Creates smaller chips that eject quickly, minimizing the risk of chips clogging holes and bits breaking
  

  135° and 118° web thicknesses

• Self-centering so no center punch required
• Requires less force due to thinner web, so there’s less heat and work hardening. Bits last longer
• More difficult to sharpen

118°

• 2 cutting edges
• For general use in stationary drills, such as drill presses
• Works well in soft materials like wood, cast iron, copper, brass, and mild steel
• Not self-centering – use of center punch recommended, especially on curved or hard surfaces
• Dulls much faster, but easier to sharpen