Steel, INOX and ALU cutters
Every material deserves the right cutter. If you match them correctly, you get:
- Less heat
- Less vibration
- Better surface quality
- Less operator fatigue
- Longer cutter life
Get it wrong, and you get the opposite.
That’s why Beveltools offers dedicated cutter families for:
- Carbon steel (S235 / S355 and similar)
- Stainless steel (INOX)
- Aluminum and aluminum alloys
Below, we’ll walk through what actually changes per material, and how that translates into the right cutter and settings on your Beveltools machines.
Why material-specific cutters matter
Not all metals behave the same when you cut them:
Carbon steel
Easy to machine in general, but laser- or plasma-cut edges are often hardened and tougher than the base material.
Stainless steel (INOX)
Work-hardens quickly, doesn’t conduct heat away as well, and keeps a lot of heat at the cutting edge. This accelerates wear.
Aluminum
Soft and very ductile. Instead of breaking into nice chips, it tends to smear and can weld itself onto the tool if chips aren’t cleared properly.
So there is no such thing as one cutter that’s ideal for all metals.
A few simple rules:
- On harder, heat-resistant materials like stainless steel:
Use lower RPM and INOX cutters. Their sharp carbide and stable geometry help control work-hardening and avoid rapid wear. - On soft materials like aluminum:
Use higher RPM and ALU cutters. Their high rake angle and polished flutes prevent the material from sticking to the cutter.
To keep it practical, Beveltools divides its cutters into families by:
- Material group: Steel / INOX / ALU
- Machine platform: Mini Mite™, Bevel Mite®, Bevel Mate®
Cutting carbon steel: the baseline for most fabrication
Many Beveltools users work with structural steels like S235 and S355, often cut with laser or plasma. Those cutting methods can increase hardness in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) along the cut. The result: working on that edge is tougher than working the rest of the plate.
What steel needs from a cutter
For beveling and rounding steel edges, the cutter should offer:
1. Robust carbide and edge strength
Hardened edges demand a tough carbide grade and a stable cutting wedge, so the edge doesn’t chip out after a few passes.
2. Moderate cutting speed
Compared to aluminum, steel prefers moderate speeds. Roughly speaking, steel is machined at significantly lower cutting speeds to avoid overheating and excessive wear.
3. Controlled vibration
On hardened or uneven edges, vibration and chatter are more likely. Cutter geometry and a balanced chip load help keep the tool stable in the cut.
Cutting stainless steel (INOX): heat, work-hardening and tool wear
Stainless steels (like AISI 304 and 316L) behave very differently from mild steel:
- They work-harden quickly under the cutter
- They hold on to heat at the cutting edge
- They generally need more power and more rigid conditions than mild steel
What INOX needs from a cutter
Industry experience and machining guidelines agree on a few key points:
1. Heat-resistant carbide
For stainless, you need carbide that can handle higher cutting temperatures and still keep its edge.
2. Positive rake and proper relief
Positive rake angles and enough clearance help reduce cutting forces and friction. That’s important to prevent extra work-hardening, reduce flank wear, and keep the cut smooth.
3. Lower cutting speeds than steel
Cutting speeds for stainless are typically lower than for mild steel to account for the higher machining resistance.
When using a Beveltool machine with an INOX cutter, this means:
- Run lower RPM than you would on steel
- Make shorter passes instead of one long heavy cut
- Don’t force the tool – let the cutter do the work
What happens if you use steel cutters on INOX
If you run steel cutters on stainless steel, you’ll likely see:
- Cutting edges that overheat and wear out very fast
- Burnished or discoloured surfaces instead of a clean cut
- Stainless steel that work-hardens under the tool, making each next pass harder
- Bevels and radii that become inconsistent in shape and finish
If you notice blue/brown heat colours, heavy tool marks and short cutter life on stainless, a good question to ask yourself is:
“Am I actually using an INOX cutter?”
Cutting aluminum: high speed, sharp edges, clean chip removal
Aluminum and its alloys are almost the opposite of stainless:
- Soft and very ductile
- Excellent thermal conductivity
- Very prone to built-up edge. That is, aluminum welding itself to the tool
What aluminum needs from a cutter
Good aluminum cutting focuses on three things:
1. High rake angle and sharp edges
Soft “gummy” alloys need a sharp, aggressive rake to cut cleanly instead of smearing
2. Plenty of chip space
Aluminum chips are bulky. Tools with more open flute space help chips escape instead of packing the cutter
3. Higher cutting speeds
Compared to mild steel, aluminum is generally machined at much higher cutting speeds.
When using a Beveltool machine with an ALU cutter, this means:
- Higher RPM than you would use on steel
- Light, steady pressure – let the tool slice, don’t push
- Enough chip clearance so the flutes don’t clog
Signs you’re using the wrong cutter on aluminum
You’re probably on the wrong cutter if:
- Chips don’t fly. Aluminum smears and sticks to the tool.
- The surface looks torn or streaky instead of smooth.
- You see bright “welded” lumps on the flutes (built-up edge).
- You have to push hard to remove material.
Conclusion
Choosing the right cutter is one of the simplest ways to improve your beveling results. Each material behaves differently, and the cutter you use should reflect that. When the geometry, carbide grade and machine settings match the material, the work becomes smoother, faster and far more consistent.
If you want reliable, repeatable edge preparation, start with the cutter that’s made for the material in front of you. The rest is easy. With the Steel, INOX and ALU cutter families, Beveltools removes the guesswork.
Learn more about Beveltools Cutters here: Bevel Heads - Beveltools
