DeWalt Cobalt Alloy Steel PILOT POINT Drill Bit Set (29 pc.)

What I learned after a month with DeWalt’s cobalt pilot‑point set

I put this DeWalt cobalt set to work the same day it arrived, facing down 304 stainless, mild steel angle, and a handful of hardened fasteners. It’s a 29‑piece, jobber‑length lineup from 1/16 to 1/2 inch with Pilot Point tips and 3-flat shanks on 3/16 and up. On paper it’s aimed at stainless and other hard metals; in practice it delivers the clean starts and heat resilience you want for that kind of work—with a few quirks worth knowing.

Build and materials

The bits are cobalt‑alloy steel, not a surface coating. That matters: cobalt in the matrix improves red‑hardness, so the edges hang on longer when you inevitably get the bit hot. The finish is smooth and consistent, flutes are cleanly ground, and the web thickness feels balanced—stout enough to resist wandering and chattering, not so thick that chip evacuation suffers on the smaller sizes.

They’re jobber length, which is the standard reach you expect for bench and hand drill work. If you’re used to stubby bits for tight spaces or improved rigidity in sheet metal, know that this set sticks to general‑purpose lengths.

Pilot Point tips: starts on contact

The defining feature here is the Pilot Point geometry. On small sizes it’s a crisp split‑like point that bites right where you place it. On the larger sizes (over roughly 5/16) it’s a multistep design that essentially builds in a pilot before the full diameter engages. In the shop that translated into two real benefits:

• Less walking on curved or slick surfaces (pipe, stainless sheet, painted steel) even without a center punch.
• Fewer “grab and yank” moments when the full cutting edge hits all at once.

I still recommend a light center punch on critical hole locations, but for bracketry, field repairs, and general fab, the tips let me start holes directly with a handheld drill and hit my mark.

A note for the long haul: Pilot Point tips aren’t the easiest to hand‑sharpen back to factory geometry. You can restore a serviceable edge with a bench grinder or a jig, but the “pilot” feature is hard to replicate at home. If you rely on frequent resharpening, that’s something to weigh.

In the metal: speeds, feeds, and results

I ran these through:

• 1/8 and 3/16 inch 304 stainless plate
• 1/4 inch mild steel angle
• A stainless sink deck (thin sheet)
• A couple of grade‑8 fasteners I’d rather not admit I had to drill out

Technique matters more than brand in stainless, so here’s what produced consistent, clean holes with this set:

• Slower RPM, steady pressure, cutting fluid. For reference: around 500–800 RPM on 1/8 inch, 300–500 RPM on 1/4 inch, and 150–300 RPM on 3/8–1/2 inch in stainless with light oil. In mild steel you can run faster.
• Don’t feather it. Let the edge cut. Too little pressure polishes the tip and makes heat.
• Peck only to clear chips in deep holes; otherwise keep the chip flowing.

With that approach, the DeWalt cobalt set cut stainless predictably. The edges stayed sharp through multiple holes per size in 304 before I noticed any slowdown. In mild steel, they ran cool and produced a bright, clean finish with minimal burr. The multistep tips on the larger diameters were the standouts—no separate pilot hole needed, and they tracked straight in a handheld drill.

Chip evacuation is solid up to about 3/8 inch. Past that, especially in gummy stainless, I found a short peck cycle helpful to avoid packed flutes. That’s typical for jobber‑length cobalt bits.

Chucking and torque control

Starting at 3/16 inch, the 3-flat shanks are a practical touch. They seat reliably in keyed or keyless chucks and cut down on slip when the bit stalls. I pushed a 1/2 inch bit through 1/4 inch mild steel with a cordless drill on its lower gear; the flats kept the bit from creeping even when I got a little greedy on feed pressure.

On the smallest sizes (round shank), I had no slippage issues in a decent keyless chuck, but with worn chucks or oily fingers you’ll want to snug them up well.

Size spread and organization

The set covers 1/16 through 1/2 inch in 64ths, which is the standard full index. That gives you the in‑between sizes I actually reach for—13/64, 27/64, 31/64—when chasing clearance fits or matching existing holes. The index labeling is clear and the progression is logical, so grabbing the next size up with oily hands was quick.

Durability and edge life

Cobalt bits earn their keep in how they handle heat. I purposely abused the mid‑range sizes in mild steel—higher RPM, minimal fluid—to see how quickly they lost the edge. They held up better than typical high‑speed steel and on par with other cobalt sets I like. In stainless, with the right technique, I didn’t glaze a tip until I lost patience and leaned too hard on a 3/8 inch bit near the end of the day. A quick touch‑up brought it back, but again, restoring the exact Pilot Point is tricky without a dedicated sharpener.

The smallest sizes are inevitably consumables. I broke a 1/16 inch bit on a misaligned pilot in a hardened bolt—a user error more than a tool fault. Replacement singles are easy to source.

The case: usable, but mind your fingers

The included metal case is compact and keeps the bits upright. It’s functional in a drawer or on a bench, and it protects better than a cheap plastic clamshell. That said, the lid can swing closed with enough snap to bite you if you leave a hand in the wrong place while grabbing a bit. The latch is firm, the hinge is loose enough for gravity to take over, and if you’re moving fast it’s a pinch hazard. I ended up opening it fully and setting it flat every time, which solved the problem but slowed me down a touch.

If you’re rough on cases or prefer a stand‑up, flip‑out style, you may want to migrate these into a different index.

Where this set fits

• Metal fab and maintenance: For stainless, tool steel, and general shop steel, this is a dependable daily‑use set.
• Field work with a cordless drill: The Pilot Points and 3‑flat shanks make starts predictable and minimize chuck slip.
• Wood and plastic: Overkill, but they work fine when you need a clean hole in laminate or phenolic without wandering.

If you mainly drill thin sheet, consider adding a few stub‑length or step bits. If you routinely drill deep holes in alloy steel, parabolic flutes might serve you better for chip evacuation.

What I’d improve

• Case ergonomics: A gentler hinge tension or a stand‑up index would make daily use safer and faster.
• Sharpening support: Pilot Point is great out of the box; guidance or a matching jig for regrinds would extend long‑term value.
• Warranty clarity: There’s no limited warranty on this specific product. For a pro‑grade set, that’s disappointing.

Bottom line

The DeWalt cobalt set earns its keep where it claims to: hard metals, clean starts, fewer wandering holes. The Pilot Point tips genuinely reduce walking, especially in stainless and on curved surfaces, and the larger multistep tips let you skip a pilot hole in many cases. Edge life is solid for cobalt, chip evacuation is good for jobber‑length bits, and the 3‑flat shanks help tame high‑torque stalls in hand drills.

The trade‑offs are manageable. The metal case protects but isn’t my favorite to work out of, and Pilot Point geometry is not the most DIY‑friendly to resharpen perfectly. The lack of a limited warranty is also a miss for a professional set.

Recommendation: I recommend this set for anyone who drills stainless or other hard steels with any regularity and wants accurate starts without fuss. If you prize a stand‑up, flip‑open case or you constantly regrind bits to stretch their life, plan on swapping the index and keep a sharpening jig handy. If those caveats don’t bother you, this is a very capable, confidence‑inspiring metal‑drilling kit that should hold up well in the shop or on the truck.