Complete Guide to Kennametal Cutting Tools: History, Product Lines & Grade Selection
About Kennametal
Kennametal Inc. is an American industrial technology company and one of the world’s oldest and largest cutting tool manufacturers. Founded in 1938 by Philip M. McKenna in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Kennametal pioneered the development of cemented carbide (tungsten carbide) for metal cutting applications in the United States. The company’s name combines “KENna” (from McKenna) and “METAL.” Today headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kennametal is a publicly traded company (NYSE: KMT) with approximately 10,000 employees and operations in over 60 countries. The company operates through two business segments: Industrial (cutting tools, wear parts) and Infrastructure (mining, construction). Kennametal is particularly renowned for its Beyond™ and Beyond BLAST™ coating technologies and the Kenna™ universal grade concept. With 12,429 products on Hooguu, Kennametal offers a comprehensive range of professional-grade cutting tools.
Kennametal Product Lines
Turning Inserts
Kennametal’s turning portfolio centers on the Beyond™ grade platform, featuring a post-coating treatment that reduces residual stress in the coating layer for improved toughness. Key turning grades include KC5010 (steel finishing), KC5025 (steel general purpose), KC5035 (steel roughing), and KCS10B (stainless finishing). The Top Notch™ insert geometry system provides precision-ground chipbreakers with consistent performance across the full range of cutting parameters. Popular insert shapes include CNMG, WNMG, DNMG, and CCMT in standard ISO sizes. Kennametal’s KBH series features wiper geometries for high-feed finishing operations that achieve Ra 0.8 at 2-3x conventional feed rates.
Milling Cutters
Kennametal’s milling range includes the KSEM™ modular milling system with exchangeable carbide tips for face milling, shoulder milling, and drilling. The HARVI™ solid carbide end mill family is widely recognized as one of the industry’s best, featuring variable helix geometry for chatter-free cutting and AlTiN coating for extended tool life. HARVI is available in 3-flute, 4-flute, 5-flute, and 7-flute configurations for different materials and applications. The Kennametal Face Mill series includes 45-degree and 90-degree face mills with indexable inserts for heavy-duty face milling. The Mill 1™ platform provides versatile shoulder milling with helical insert placement.
Drilling Tools
Kennametal’s drilling solutions include the KSEM™ Plus indexable drill with exchangeable carbide tips, available in 3xD, 5xD, and 8xD configurations. The KENNAMETAL Beyond Drill series features solid carbide drills with the proprietary Beyond coating for exceptional hole quality and tool life. The KenTip FSM™ spade drill system handles large-diameter holes (20-100 mm) with indexable spade inserts. Kennametal also produces the Kennametal Boring system with fine-boring heads capable of achieving IT6 tolerances for precision bore finishing.
Grooving & Threading
The A2 Grooving System is Kennametal’s primary grooving platform, featuring single-point inserts with widths from 1.5 to 6 mm for external grooving and parting-off. The Top-Groove system adds double-ended inserts for increased economy. For threading, Kennametal offers the Kennametal Thread Turn series with partial and full-profile inserts in metric and imperial thread forms. The NG318 thread milling cutter family provides an alternative to tapping for large-diameter and hardened material threads.
Kennametal Grade Selection Guide
| Grade | ISO Group | Best For | Coating |
|---|---|---|---|
| KC5010 | P05-P20 | Steel finishing, high speed | Beyond™ CVD TiCN/Al2O3 |
| KC5025 | P20-P35 | Steel general turning | Beyond™ CVD multi-layer |
| KC5035 | P30-P45 | Steel roughing, interrupted | Beyond BLAST™ CVD |
| KCS10B | M10-M25 | Stainless steel finishing | PVD AlTiN Beyond™ |
| KCS25B | M20-M35 | Stainless steel roughing | PVD Beyond™ multi-layer |
| KCK15B | K10-K25 | Cast iron turning | CVD thick Al2O3 Beyond™ |
| KCSM15 | S10-S20 | Heat-resistant alloys | PVD AlTiSiN |
| K68 | N10-N20 | Aluminum and non-ferrous | Uncoated polished |
Popular Kennametal Products on Hooguu
Explore our selection of 12,429 Kennametal cutting tools on Hooguu. From Beyond™-coated turning inserts and HARVI™ solid carbide end mills to KSEM™ modular milling systems and KenTip spade drills, we carry the full Kennametal catalog. Our stock includes all Beyond and Beyond BLAST grades for steel, stainless, cast iron, and superalloy applications.
Kennametal vs Alternatives
| Application | Kennametal Grade | Korloy Equivalent | Sandvik Coromant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steel finishing | KC5010 | NC3010 | GC4315 | Kennametal Beyond post-treatment reduces coating stress for longer life |
| Steel general | KC5025 | NC3020 | GC4325 | Comparable; Kennametal excels in continuous cuts at high speeds |
| Steel roughing | KC5035 | NC3030 | GC4335 | Beyond BLAST delivers superior performance in heavy interrupted cuts |
| Stainless steel | KCS10B | NC9125 | GC2220 | Kennametal’s Beyond PVD provides excellent BUE resistance |
| End milling | HARVI | Korloy S-STAR | CoroMill 319 | HARVI is widely considered the best variable-helix end mill in the market |
| Cast iron | KCK15B | NC6110 | GC3225 | Beyond coating + thick Al2O3 provides excellent abrasion resistance |
Why Buy Kennametal from Hooguu
Hooguu carries 12,429 Kennametal products, including the complete Beyond™ and Beyond BLAST™ grade ranges and the acclaimed HARVI™ end mill family. As one of the world’s most established cutting tool brands with over 85 years of history, Kennametal represents American engineering excellence in carbide tool technology. Shop genuine Kennametal tools at hooguu.com/brand/kennametal/ for competitive pricing, full traceability, and worldwide delivery.
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