Titanium vs Black Oxide Drill Bits – Which drill bits are better?
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Black oxide and titanium drill bits are the most common drill bits to drill various materials. Also, they come in multiple sizes to do your preferred job needs.
Titanium drill bits have more versatility, durability and accuracy but cost more. On the other hand, black oxide drill bits are moderately heat resistant, used mostly for general-purpose drilling and more affordable than titanium drill bits.
In this article, I will give you an elaborate description of Titanium vs Black oxide drill bits and let you know which one you should choose in which situation.
Contents
Comparison Table Between Titanium and Black Oxide Drill Bits
| Features | Titanium drill bits | Black oxide drill bits |
| Material | HSS[High-speed steel] | HSS[High-speed steel] |
| Coating | Titanium nitride | Black oxide |
| Versatility | More Versatile | Versatile |
| Accuracy | More Accurate | Accurate |
| Durability | More durable | Durable |
| Resistance | More Heat, wear and tear | Heat, wear and tear |
| Usage | Heavy and general drilling jobs | Light and general drilling jobs |
| Price | Expensive | Affordable |
Titanium vs Black oxide drill bits
Titanium drill bits
Titanium drill bits are the types of drill bits made of High-Speed Steel [HSS] material, and it is coated with titanium nitride ceramic coating, which gives them a nice yellowish-golden color.
For the titanium coating, you get fast drilling, better heat resistance and longer life. There are mainly 3 different types and multiple sizes of drill bits you get in the market for different job purposes. They are twist drill bits, masonry drill bits, and step drill bits.
Black oxide drill bits
Like the Titanium drill bits, Black oxide drill bits are also made of High-Speed Steel [HSS] material, but the difference is its coating; it is coated with a thin layer of black oxide coating, which gives them a nice deep black color.
From the standard drill bits, these drill bits drill faster and give you corrosion-free drilling for the coating and the coating stays on the drill bits for a longer time to enhance lifespan.
Similarities and dissimilarities between black oxide and titanium drill bits
Similarities
Material: Both the black oxide and titanium drill bits are made of High-Speed Steel [HSS] material, which makes it durable and sharp.
Layer: They both have been coated with a thin layer of coating to keep the drill bits corrosion-resistant.
Dissimilarities
Coating: The titanium drill bits use titanium nitride ceramic-metal coating, and the black oxide drill bits use a thin layer of black oxide metal coating. The titanium nitride coating on the HSS blade gives it more advantages than the other coatings.
Durability: titanium nitride (TiN) coating on the titanium drill bits makes it more durable than the black oxide coating on the black oxide drill bits. Also, the titanium nitride layer on the HSS material makes it more harder, keeps it from wear and tear resistant and creates less friction.
Sharpness: The gold titanium nitride drill bits have a much sharper cutting edge than the black oxide drill bits, which helps to drill faster and more effectively on any surface.
Heat resistance: Both the titanium and black oxide drill bits provide heat resistance while cutting deeper or tougher materials. But you will get better heat resistance on the titanium nitride coating as it has a higher melting point.
Versatility and accuracy: Though they are both made of the same material, the coating differs in their capability and makes the titanium nitride drill bits more versatile and accurate, letting them cut through deeper and tougher materials faster and effectively and even last longer than the black oxide.
Usage: Both the drill bits can drill through a variety of materials such as wood, plastic, drywall, PVC, composition boards, alloy steel and carbon steels, but for cutting deeper and tougher materials like iron, magnesium and hard materials, titanium drill bits are more preferable.
Price: Because of the higher quality coating, the cost of the titanium drill bits is more than the black oxide drill bits.
Which drill bits are better, Titanium or black oxide drill bits
Which one is better, and why you should choose depends on your specific needs and budget.
If you are looking for a drill bit that can do all general-purpose drilling and light-duty drilling and is affordable to purchase, then you can choose black oxide drill bit sets.
But if you are looking for user-friendly drill bits and have the budget and want to do heavy-duty work as well as general-purpose work and want fast, effective and long-lasting performance while drilling, then you can choose titanium drill bit sets.
How to maintain drill bits
Maintaining drill bits is important to keep your drill bits useable for a long time. Follow the steps so that you can easily keep your drill bits in good condition.
Firstly, clean the drill bits after using them every time to remove the dirt they get while cutting.
Secondly, do not apply water instantly after use, as it remains hot. After cooling down, apply water to clean.
Thirdly, dry the drill after cleaning so that nothing reaming on the drill bit, which causes rust. You can also apply lubricant after drying the drill bit.
Fourthly, do not keep your dill bits in a moist place; always store drill bits in a dry place.
Fifthly, if your drill gets dull, sharpen it. Do not use dull drill bits for drilling; they can cause friction and generate more heat, which can damage the drill bit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you sharpen titanium drill bits?
If you use the correct techniques and use the tools needed for sharpening, then you can sharpen titanium drill bits. Neither the edge of the drill bits will get damaged.
First, take a drill bit sharpener or a diamond sharpening wheel. Secondly, take the titanium drill bit and angle it 45 degrees on the sharpening wheel. Thirdly, applying light pressure goes back and forth and rotates the drill bit slowly.
While sharpening, use a lubricant like water or oil, and after a few passes, you will get a sharp titanium drill bit.
After sharpening, don’t forget to clean the drill bits. Neither it may catch rust.
Is titanium drill better than gemstone drill?
A gemstone drill is better, specifically for cutting gemstones and similar hard materials, and it is not very expensive. But compared to gemstone drill, titanium drill is better as it is more versatile, durable, heat and wear-resistant and provides a longer lifetime.
Do black oxide tools rust?
When the thin layer of black coating gets washed out, then black oxide tools rust. It does rust for multiple reasons first if you store them in a dry place, secondly if you do not clean them after each usage and thirdly if you do not apply lubricant and keep them unused for a long time.
Are expensive drill bits worth it?
Yes, expensive drill bits are worth it because they provide more durability, sharpen cutting edge, hard protective coating like titanium nitride (TiN), higher heat resistance and longer lifetime to do general and heavy-duty drilling, which you may not get in the less expensive drill bits.
Conclusion
Comparing titanium nitride vs black oxide drill bits, we got that both the drill bits are good for general purpose drill jobs, but the titanium drill bits handle heavy-duty jobs more efficiently, and black oxide drill bits are budget-friendly and good for light-duty jobs.
The point-to-point elaborate comparison I have already compared earlier in this article. I hope you understand all of those and chosen a better one for your budget and job purpose. Thank you.
