kutzall vs saburrtooth.

[retiredguy]

Hello folks. I am new here and would like to ask a question. I did a search and didn't find anything.
I want to uprgrade my burs from HSS and am looking at the kutzall and saburtooth.
It looks like the kudtzall will clog easily, but leave a smoother finish, and the saburrtooth will not clog as easy but leave a rougher finish. I would like to limit sanding, but also don't want to have to use a clogged bur. Maybe I am asking for the Holy Grail of burs..LOL...can anyone please help and share some of your experiences.
Can those smaller kutzalls and saburtooth be used for detailing or are they mainly for roughing out. I have some worn out diamonds I need to upgrade also.
thanks for listening
retired guy..aka Jim

[Donsexton]

I think the Kutzall bits have some benefits over Saburrtooth in this way they are not structured the bits hold up better if you hit nails and metal in wood or if you drop the tool on concrete running or not the Kutzall wont chip. They do load up more easily with wood pitch than Saburrtooth. They don’t cut as fast as Saburrtooth and the extra coarse will leave wood just as rough as a Saburrtooth bit. I use Saburrtooth bits and 4” discs because they cut so fast. Now for smooth and fast cutting have you tried a double cut carbide burr? They are expensive but worth the money because they work like nothing else. The best carbide bits are for cutting steel in a die grinder you can buy them at a retailer that sells professional machine tools and welding supply houses. The woodcarver supply houses sell them as well but they are not superior quality. I think both Saburr and Kutzall are fine bits and both have good and bad.

[susieq]

Hi Jim,
Your regular kutzal will leave deep grooves in the wood. You rough out your piece with them but as you get close to where you want to be, you switch to something finer....the typhoon bit or the very similar saburtooth bit will not leave as deep a groove, but after you have graduated down through those, you can switch to large diamond or ruby bits, or switch to regular gouges, or a good carbide, which will leave a cut more like a regular gouge....your choices are endless...which can be a hassle when trying to figure out which way to go....you could also start using a sanding drum at that point...but remember, if you use gouges over an area that you have sanded, it will dull a gouge pretty quickly so don't do this if you cannot sharpen your own gouges...

[davidinsarasota]

Retiredguy, You've got it about right: Kutzalls clog faster than Saburrtooth but cut smoother, not smooth enough for final finish though. A new set of diamond points is a real treat, did not realize how dull mine were.

Spin clogged Kutzalls slowly against a cardfile to clean them quickly.

You're lucky Don and Suzie weighed in on this; they are very experienced with these things.

[Donna_T]

I agree with Don and Susie,
I have a few Kutzall bits and I use them strictly for the bulk of roughing in, making sure I'm well away from the final detailing area. I've gotten to where I use Typhoons more than the Kutzalls. They don't seem to load up as quickly. Either bit can really do damage to skin, clothes, and good wood if they get away.
Then I use soft sanders, then diamonds to do real detail.
Donna_T

[susieq]

Kutzal bits do clean up well. One member uses a torch to burn off the build up. He swears it won't hurt the bit. I use easy off oven cleaner. I put the bits in an old "shot glass" I keep just for that. Then spray the oven cleaner into it til the foam covers everything in the shot glass, leave over night and using a small wire brush, brush them off good and rinse them off in water. They should be good as new. I've never had one load up to the point where it wouldn't cut. They get used a long while between cleanings.