What is the difference between Amana router bits and other, less expensive store-brand bits?
Actually there are a number of differences that affect the quality of the cut and the longevity of the bit. One of the main differences is the materials used for manufacturing. Amana uses the finest steel for the body of the bits and fine grain carbide for the cutting surfaces. The finer and harder the carbide, the longer you have before it wears. Carbide on the Amana bits is thick allowing it to be sharpened many times. Inexpensive bits sometimes have inferior brazing which can cause the carbide to break loose during use. Unlike a saw blade which is secured to an arbor with a nut, a router bit is simply squeezed by the router collet. This method of securing the bit is effective if the shank of the bit is properly sized. However, sometimes the shank size of inexpensive bits can be as much as .008″ under the collet size. This can cause the bit to slip, or creep out of the collet during use. Most of the quality features in Amana bits, such as shank size, carbide grain size, and brazing,
