Made in USA since 1986
Precision Carbide Tipped Cutting Tools
Reamers, drills, counterbores, cutters and end mills ground in our own plant — standard sizes and specials, engineered for real production conditions.
1986Manufacturing carbide tipped tooling in the USA
10Standard tool families, from reamers to single points
C2 / C5 / C6Application-matched premium carbide grades
100%Specials engineered, ground and inspected in house
Product Lines
Browse Cutting Tools by Category
Every family below is stocked as a standard line and can be modified for diameter, length, flute count, shank style, corner condition or carbide grade. If the print calls for something outside the catalogue, our engineering group builds it.
Reamers
Chucking · Coolant fed · Solid carbide
- General purpose chucking reamers
- Material specific chucking reamers
- Coolant fed reamers for deep, blind holes
- Solid carbide & solid carbide head reamers
Drills
Jobbers · Taper · Stub · Reduced shank
- Jobbers length carbide tipped drills
- Taper length drills for deeper holes
- Stub length CNC drills for rigid set-ups
- Reduced shank diameter drills
Counterbores
Straight · Taper · Capscrew · Aircraft
- Straight shank counterbores
- Taper shank counterbores
- Capscrew counterbores
- Aircraft reduced shank counterbores
Arbor Hole Cutters
Side milling · Slitting saws · Single angle
- Side milling cutters
- Slitting saws in multiple widths
- Single angle cutters
- Keyed and plain arbor hole styles
Shank Style Cutters
Keyseat · Woodruff · Special form
- Carbide tipped keyseat cutters
- Shank type slotting cutters
- Straight and angle form cutters
- Modified widths on request
End Mills
Straight flute · Slow & high spiral
- Straight flute end mills
- Center cutting end mills
- Slow spiral end mills
- High spiral shear cutting end mills
Port Contour Cutters
MS16142 · J514F · J1926 · MS33649
- S.A.E. straight thread O-ring port cutters
- MS33649 integral reamer pilot ports
- Straight shank and modified shank styles
- One-pass seat, chamfer and spotface
Centers
Morse · Jarno · Brown & Sharpe
- Morse taper centers
- Jarno taper centers
- Brown & Sharpe taper centers
- Carbide tipped points for long life
Countersinks
Single flute · Three flute
- Single flute countersinks for chatter control
- Three flute countersinks for finish
- Common included angles
- Special angles to print
Single Point Tools
370 C5/C6 · 883 C2 · S.A. series
- 370 premium C5/C6 carbide for steels
- 883 premium C2 carbide for non-ferrous & cast iron
- S.A. series Swiss automatic tools
- Brazed tips on hardened steel shanks
Application Data
Speeds & Feeds Charts
Starting SFM and chip load values by workpiece group — free machining steels, alloy steels, stainless, cast iron, aluminium, brass, bronze and plastics — plus reaming stock allowance and coolant recommendations. Use it to dial in the first cut instead of guessing.
Open the Charts Specials & Modifications
Engineered Special Tools
Send a print or describe the feature. We review geometry, carbide grade and grind sequence before committing to manufacture.
Custom Tool Engineering
Product Catalogue & Tool Data
Dimensional tables, tool numbers, flute counts and shank data for every standard family in one reference.
General Information Experience on the Shop Floor
Why Buyers Specify Carbide Tipped Tooling
Solid carbide is not always the right answer. A brazed carbide tip puts premium grade carbide exactly where the metal is removed, while the alloy steel body absorbs vibration and shock. For interrupted cuts, cored castings, older machines, long reaches and larger diameters, that construction usually outlasts a full carbide body — and costs considerably less per tool.
- Impact tolerance. A steel body flexes instead of snapping, which protects the edge on scale, cross-holes and interrupted entry.
- Cost per part. Carbide is used only at the cutting edge, so large diameter tools stay economical.
- Grade matched to material. C-2 class grades for cast iron, aluminium and non-ferrous; C5/C6 class grades for steels.
- Re-sharpenable. Most tipped geometries can be reconditioned, extending the life of the tool investment.
- Standards compliance. Port cutters and counterbores built to recognised SAE and MS specifications.
| Condition | Carbide Tipped | Solid Carbide |
|---|---|---|
| Interrupted / scaly cuts | Preferred — steel body absorbs shock | Edge chipping risk |
| Large diameters (over ½") | Lower cost, strong body | High tool cost |
| Less rigid machines | Tolerates deflection | Needs high rigidity |
| Very high SFM finishing | Good | Best — maximum stiffness |
| Tight-tolerance small holes | Good with proper allowance | Best for micro sizes |
| Reconditioning | Re-sharpenable in most designs | Limited by core diameter |
Guidance compiled from Rock River Tool application engineering experience. Final selection should always consider fixture rigidity, coolant delivery and part tolerance.
Manufacturing Capability
What We Control In House
Grinding, brazing, inspection and finishing happen under one roof. That is how we keep tool geometry repeatable from order to order and answer technical questions without going through a third party.
Standard & Special Manufacturing
- Non-catalogue diameters, lengths and flute counts
- Step, form and combination tools
- Coolant-through and coolant fed designs
- Shank modifications — reduced, flatted, Morse and taper
- Corner radii, chamfers, back tapers and margin control
- Alternate carbide grades for abrasive or gummy materials
Coatings & Performance Modifications
Coating selection should follow the workpiece and the coolant strategy, not habit. We advise on the right surface treatment for abrasive cast iron, sticky aluminium alloys, hardened steels and dry or MQL machining, then apply it to the finished geometry.
- Wear-resistant coatings for extended edge life
- Low-friction options for non-ferrous build-up control
- Edge preparation and honing for consistent hole finish
- Marking and packaging to your part numbering
Industries Served
Where Our Tools Are Running
Hydraulics & Fluid Power
Port contour cutters to S.A.E. and MS specifications for manifolds, valve bodies and cylinder blocks.
Aerospace Machining
Aircraft reduced shank counterbores, reamers and drills for tight-access structural work.
Automotive & Heavy Truck
High-volume reaming, counterboring and slotting in cast iron, forged steel and aluminium.
Job Shops & Contract Machining
Standard families off the shelf plus fast specials when a print does not match a catalogue tool.
Energy & Off-Highway
Large diameter tipped tooling where solid carbide is uneconomical or too brittle.
Swiss / Precision Turning
S.A. series single point tools and brazed carbide geometry for small-part turning.
Tool & Die
Keyseat cutters, slitting saws and single angle cutters for fixture and die detail work.
Distribution Partners
Catalogue tooling and private specials supported with technical data for resale worldwide.
Trust & Traceability
Rock River Tool — Made in the USA Since 1986
Rock River Tool, Inc. has been manufacturing carbide tipped cutting tools in the United States since 1986 and is one of the established producers of tipped tooling in the industry. American manufacturing is not just a label for us: it is how we hold geometry tolerances, keep material traceability, and give buyers a direct line to the people who actually grind the tool.
Purchasing teams and distributors work with one point of contact for technical data, tool numbers, modifications and status — no translation layer, no unknown sub-supplier.
Engineering Answers
Frequently Asked Technical Questions
The questions our application engineers answer most often from machinists, buyers and distributors.
A carbide tipped tool brazes premium carbide only where the cutting happens, while the body stays alloy steel. That combination delivers carbide wear resistance at the edge with far better shock tolerance and lower cost per tool than a full solid carbide body. It is the preferred choice for interrupted cuts, cast iron, abrasive non-ferrous alloys, less rigid machines, and larger diameters where solid carbide becomes expensive and fragile.
Standard chucking reamers are ground to nominal size, with plus tolerance available on request. Achieved hole size, roundness and finish depend on pre-drill allowance, rigidity, coolant delivery and speed. As a practical starting point, leave roughly 0.010 in. to 0.015 in. of stock on diameter for reaming and follow the material group values in our speeds and feeds charts.
Yes. Special geometry, non-standard diameters and lengths, step tools, form tools, coolant-through designs, alternate carbide grades, shank modifications and coatings are all produced in house. Send a print, a sketch, or the standard tool number you want modified and our engineering team reviews manufacturability before quoting.
Tools are tipped with application-matched grades: C-2 class carbide such as our 883 premium grade for cast iron, aluminium and other non-ferrous materials, and C5/C6 class carbide such as our 370 premium grade for steels. Matching grade to workpiece is the fastest single improvement most shops can make to tool life.
Yes. Our port contour cutter line covers S.A.E. straight thread O-ring boss ports to MS16142, J514F and J1926, along with MS33649 integral reamer pilot port cutters in straight shank styles. Counterbore lines include capscrew and aircraft reduced shank configurations commonly called out on aerospace prints.
Yes. We regularly support overseas distributors and OEM purchasing teams with dimensional data, tool numbering and specials documentation. Contact our team with your requirement, target material and annual volume, and we will advise on the most suitable standard family or special design.
Talk to a Tooling Specialist
Tell Us the Material, the Feature and the Tolerance
Our team will point you to the right standard tool — or engineer the special that fits your operation. Phone support is available Monday to Friday, 7:00am – 5:30pm CDT.