What Are DeWalt's Black And Gold Drill Bits Made Of? (And Are They Better Than Titanium?)

DeWalt Power Tools, operating as part of the Stanley Black & Decker group of companies, offers a complete selection of drill bit sets in addition to its power and hand tools. Using the common ¼-inch Jobber-length drill bit as a benchmark for DeWalt drill bit pricing at Lowe's, the Black and Gold DeWalt drill bits are the least expensive at $5.48 compared to $8.48 for a similar DeWalt titanium nitride-coated drill bit.

DeWalt's Black and Gold drill bits are made from a type of tool steel known as High Speed Steel, often abbreviated as HSS. While HSS is a common base for a variety of drill bit types, it's important to note that there are different grades of HSS, and cheaper drill bits often contain lower grades. DeWalt's Black and Gold drill bits have the added bonus of a Black Oxide treatment "for greater wear resistance."

According to Cleveland Black Oxide Quality Metal Finishing Solutions, Black Oxide, also known as "blackening, oxidizing, oxiding, black passivating, [and] gun bluing," is a chemical conversion coating applied to ferrous metals such as HSS. However, the term "coating" is slightly misleading as the process not only coats the drill bits but also penetrates the surface. The penetration happens through a chemical reaction between the iron present in the HSS and the oxidizing salts in the black oxide solution.

Like DeWalt's Black and Gold drill bits, titanium versions are made from HSS, not pure titanium. Titanium drill bits derive their name from the titanium nitride, or TiN, coating applied to them through a process known as physical vapor deposition (PVD).

The PVD process combines vaporized titanium and nitrogen in a high-temperature vacuum chamber where it adheres to the surface of the drill bit. Once cooled, the TiN coating provides a hard, durable layer that delivers increased lubricity and temperature resistance. These characteristics are beneficial when drilling through a variety of materials ranging from wood and plastic to non-ferrous metals and mild steel, providing up to six times the service life compared to non-coated HSS drill bits.

There's no question that the TiN coating used for titanium drill bits is superior to the black oxide coating found on DeWalt's Black and Gold drill bits. However, if your hobbies or work require drilling a lot of holes through a variety of materials, there could still be room in your toolkit for the Black and Gold bits. The 15-piece Black and Gold drill bit set ranks as a DeWalt find under $20 that's actually worth buying, making a suitable go-to when drilling softer, non-abrasive materials while saving your more expensive titanium drill bits for tougher jobs.