drill sharpening, darex, 1st machine tool accessories

19 June 2026 | 1st Machine Tool Accessories Ltd

Carbide Drill Costs Are Rising – Cut Tooling Spend with Darex Drill Sharpeners from 1st Machine Tool Accessories (1MTA)

Carbide tooling prices are climbing, so why keep replacing drills? Discover how 1st Machine Tool Accessories (1MTA) and Darex drill sharpening systems help UK manufacturers reduce costs, extend tool life, and improve machining performance.

With carbide tooling costs continuing to rise, manufacturers and subcontract machine shops are being forced to rethink how they manage consumables. Carbide drills, often treated as disposable, represent a major hidden cost—yet in most cases, they still have significant usable life remaining.

The reality is that drills rarely fail completely. Instead, performance gradually declines due to geometry wear, long before the tool reaches the end of its true lifespan. Discarding them too soon not only wastes material but also increases cost per hole and reduces overall profitability.

This is where modern drill sharpening solutions from 1st Machine Tool Accessories Ltd (1MTA) come into play. Today’s advanced sharpening systems are designed for simplicity, accuracy, and repeatability—making in-house regrinding a practical and cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes.

For smaller workshops or lower-volume environments, the Darex V391 Drill Sharpener provides an ideal entry point. With a capacity of 3–19mm, adjustable geometry settings, and optional diamond wheels for carbide, it allows operators to restore drills quickly and efficiently without complex setup.

For higher-output operations, the Darex XT-3000 Drill Sharpener offers production-level performance. Capable of sharpening carbide, HSS, and cobalt drills up to 21mm (or larger with attachments), it delivers precision results with automation options that ensure consistency in demanding environments. Many users report rapid return on investment, with machines paying for themselves in just months.

The benefits go beyond cost savings. Properly sharpened drills often deliver improved cutting efficiency, lower spindle load, and enhanced hole quality—sometimes outperforming new tools that haven’t been optimised.

As carbide prices remain high, sharpening is no longer optional—it’s a strategic advantage. By choosing Darex sharpening systems from 1MTA, businesses can extend tool life, reduce waste, and maintain competitive margins.

Sharpen. Reuse. Reduce Cost. Repeat.

Other Press Releases from 1st Machine Tool Accessories Ltd

14/4/2022 - Productivity and efficiency will be the watchwords after Covid-19 As industry in the UK and Ireland emerges from the pandemic lockdown, improvements in production efficiency will be essential to maintain competitiveness in a global marketplace.

22/3/2022 - Rotary Table Range Extended In 2019 the Japanese manufacturer Kitagawa introduced the first in a new range of compact, general purpose rotary tables, the MK-series, for adding a rigid fourth CNC axis to a 3-axis vertical machining centre. One year later the MK200 has been joined by a second model, the MK250, with significantly uprated performance. Availability in Britain and Ireland is through sole sales agent 1st Machine Tool Accessories, Salisbury.

07/2/2022 - Next-generation chucks are twice as accurate Designed to reduce set-up times on lathes, the new BR-series of 3-jaw chucks from Japanese firm Kitagawa are capable of a gripping accuracy of 0.01 mm TIR (total indicator reading) or less when using optional T-Nuts Plus jaws.

05/1/2022 - Set-up times cut, then reduced again US-manufactured CHICK System 5 workholding equipment, supplied in the UK through sole agent 1st Machine Tool Accessories, Salisbury, is helping to increase productivity and efficiency in the machine shop of Axminster Tools & Machinery, located in Axminster, Devon.

10/12/2021 - Specialist plastics machinist doubles turnover in four years Nothing but rotational plastic components are machined in batches from 30 to 20,000 at the Hertfordshire factory of subcontractor Plastic Turned Parts (PTP), which in four years to the end of 2019 doubled turnover and invested more than £750,000 in six new CNC turning centres.