How To Grind a Drill Bit For Brass?

[TomG]

Generally, the softer the material smaller the included angle on the point. In other words the 60º points you describe would work well on wood, but would suck on steel. Drills for steel should indeed be in the 118º to 135º range so there is a lot of steel behind the cutting edge to conduct heat away.

By the way, it's an old wives tale (not mine) that overheating drills and tool bits hurts them. High speed steel has what's called good hot hardness and can withstand much higher temperatures than carbon steel. Most grades are good to over 1000ºF before they start to lose their hardness. That means you can get them red without hurting them, of course your fingers might not agree!

Tom