If you use drilling tools often, you already know the DTH Bit doesn’t last forever. But do you really know how it wears out? If you understand the wear patterns, you can plan better for maintenance and avoid unexpected sadvanceds. That means more work done, less waiting time, and fewer budget surprises.

What Is a DTH Bit and Why It Wears

A DTH Bit is the part of the drilling system that hits the rock directly. It’s connected to a DTH Hammer, which uses air pressure to move a piston up and down. The piston keeps striking the bit, and the bit keeps hitting the rock.

With every hit, the bit loses a little material—especially the carbide buttons and the bit face. Over time, this wear makes the bit less sharp, less aggressive, and finally, unable to do the job properly.

If you wait too long to change it, drilling slows down. Even worse, it may damage the hammer or the hole wall.

Common Wear Patterns You Should Watch

Here are some signs and patterns that your bit is wearing out:

1. Button Flattening

The carbide buttons start out sharp and round. But with use, they get flat. When this happens, the bit can’t break the rock as well. You’ll notice slower drilling and higher fuel use.

2. Button Fracture

Sometimes the button cracks or breaks off. This usually means you're drilling very hard rock or maybe the bit wasn’t rotated often enough. Missing buttons make the bit unstable and can even affect the hammer’s motion.

3. Bit Face Erosion

The steel part of the bit also wears down—especially around the flushing holes or outer edge. If the flushing is weak, cuttings don't come out well, and that adds heat and stress to the bit.

4. Uneven Wear

If one side of the bit wears faster, it may mean unbalanced drilling or bad alignment. This causes the bit to wander, making it hard to drill straight.

How to Use Wear Data for Smarter Replacements

If you replace the bit before it totally wears out, you protect the hammer and avoid delays. So, it’s smart to check your bits regularly and keep a record.

Some companies just wait for the bit to sadvanced working. But if you're managing a job site or buying tools for a drilling business, you don’t want surprise sadvanceds. Having a simple plan helps:

Inspect after every 200–300 meters of drilling

Replace bits when buttons are flat beyond 30% of original height

Use wear patterns to decide if you need a new bit design or just better rotation habits

Why This Matters for Your Hammer

A worn-out DTH Bit can put extra pressure on your DTH Hammer. Even with a strong product like Kaiqiu’s hammer—which uses no inner cylinder and has fewer moving parts—the extra load can still shorten tool life.

Kaiqiu’s design helps reduce these risks. The bit has no valve tube, which means less trouble from heat or pressure changes. The hammer piston is made from treated alloy steel, so it lasts longer. But even good tools wear out faster if you keep using bad bits.

Over time, you’ll learn how to spot problems early and replace bits at the right moment. That saves money, keeps your DTH Hammer healthy, and helps your team finish jobs on time.

So next time before drilling, take a quick look at your bit. A few minutes of checking might save hours of downtime later.