DeWalt 1/8" x 3" Drill Bit Premium Percussion

Why I reached for this bit

I needed a small, reliable masonry bit for a day of cable clip installs and a handful of light anchors in brick and block. I grabbed DeWalt’s 1/8-in percussion bit and ran it through a mix of brick, mortar, and poured concrete with a compact hammer drill. Over the course of the day, I was looking for three things: bite (how quickly it starts and stays cutting), chip evacuation (how cleanly it clears dust), and durability (whether it holds its edge after dozens of holes). It checked more boxes than I expected for a short, inexpensive bit.

Design and build quality

This is a straightforward percussion-style masonry bit, 3 inches long with a carbide-tipped cutting edge and a four-flute spiral. The carbide is the star here. On a small diameter like 1/8 inch, heat buildup and micro-chipping can dull a tip fast. The carbide on this bit is ground cleanly and bonded squarely; you can feel it bite immediately, even in harder aggregate.

The four-flute profile is notable. Many small masonry bits run two flutes, which can stall in dusty holes or pack up in crumbly mortar. Four flutes give dust more paths to escape and keep the bit tracking straighter, especially when you pulse the trigger to break chips.

On the business end of the shank, three machined flats keep the bit from spinning in the chuck. On a small diameter, that’s more useful than it sounds. In keyless chucks, especially compact 12V hammer drills, small round-shank bits are notorious for slip. The flats lock in nicely and let you put a bit more feed pressure on the tool without glazing the shank.

In use: concrete, brick, and tile

I started with cured, broom-finished concrete. For a 1/8-in hole, you don’t need to plunge very deep—usually just enough to seat a small anchor or a clip. With the hammer drill on its lowest gear, the bit broke the surface cleanly and continued steadily for a series of 20 holes. The cutting pace was consistent: no sudden slowdowns, no blueing, and no visible chipping on the carbide after the first run.

Brick and mortar were even friendlier. In older mortar joints, the bit moved quickly; in denser, newer joints it slowed a touch but never felt grabby. The four-flute design showed its value here. Dust cleared well without much need to peck the trigger. I still recommend a quick in-and-out action every 1/2 inch or so, but I didn’t have to back out to unclog the flutes like I often do with two-flute bits.

I also tried it on a glazed ceramic tile—no hammer, just low speed and light pressure to score, then a bump of hammer once the glaze was breached. It handled the job without chipping the tile edge. It’s not a dedicated tile bit, but for a single small hole, it worked.

A note on metal

This is a masonry bit, and that’s where it belongs. That said, I tested two pilot holes in a painted steel window frame at low speed, no hammer. With light pressure, it cut through, leaving a slightly rougher hole than a proper HSS or cobalt bit would. The carbide edge didn’t seem to mind, but I wouldn’t make a habit of it. If you’re doing more than a couple holes in metal, use the right bit.

Hole quality and accuracy

On something this small, wander matters. The tip geometry is not a brad point, but the carbide chisel is ground well enough that, with a light center punch or even a pencil notch in mortar, it starts where you put it. In brick faces, I found it best to start in rotary-only mode for a second to set the point, then switch to hammer; that keeps the hole from “walking” and reduces surface spall. Exit blowout is minimal at 1/8 inch, but if you’re working near edges, go easy—masonry is unforgiving close to corners.

The finished holes were round and on-size, with just enough friction on plastic anchors to hold securely without splitting them. For cable clips with masonry pins, the holes were clean and consistent.

Durability and heat management

I ran roughly 60–70 holes total across the day, mostly shallow. By the end, the tip still cut predictably. Carbide helps, but the other half of the equation is managing heat and dust. Two best practices made a difference:

• Pulse the trigger briefly every half inch to break and clear dust.
• Vacuum the hole periodically rather than blowing—less recutting of debris, less heat.

With those habits, the bit stayed sharp enough that the last holes felt a lot like the first.

Compatibility and chucking

The three flats on the shank are a quiet winner. In a keyless chuck, I could lean on the bit without it slipping, even as the chuck warmed up. In a keyed chuck, it locked rock solid. If you’ve ever glazed a round shank on a stuck bit in hammer mode, you’ll appreciate the flats. Note that this is a standard straight shank for 3-jaw chucks; it’s not an SDS bit.

Limitations and trade-offs

• Length: At 3 inches overall, your usable depth is modest. For deep-set fasteners or thick block, you’ll want a longer bit.
• Diameter: 1/8 inch is great for small anchors and clips but not a catch-all. Plan your fasteners accordingly.
• Not a metal bit: It will get you through thin metal in a pinch, but it’s not the right tool for repeated steel work.
• No color-coding or size etching: After it’s dusty, the size marking is hard to read. I ended up keeping it in a separate sleeve.

None of these are deal-breakers for its intended purpose, but they’re worth knowing ahead of time.

Tips for best results

• Start straight: Use a center punch on concrete and brick or start in rotary-only mode to prevent walk.
• Let the hammer do the work: Too much feed pressure slows chip clearance and overheats the carbide.
• Clear dust often: Short pecks and a quick vacuum keep the flutes cutting.
• Mind edge distance: Stay at least an inch from brick edges to avoid spalling.
• PPE matters: Masonry dust is no joke—use eye protection and a dust mask or an extractor.

Value

As a single bit for light-duty masonry tasks, this one earns its keep. The carbide tip lasts, the flutes clear efficiently, and the no-slip shank keeps you moving. You can spend less on generic bits, but in my experience they glaze quickly, stall in dusty holes, and slip in the chuck. The time saved alone justifies the modest premium.

The bottom line

I recommend the DeWalt 1/8-in percussion bit for anyone who needs dependable small-diameter holes in masonry—installers running cable clips, DIYers setting light anchors, and pros doing punch-list work. It cuts cleanly, resists slipping in the chuck, and holds its edge across a surprising number of holes. It’s not a deep-hole or metal solution, and it’s limited by its short length, but within its lane, it’s a reliable, efficient performer that makes a repetitive task go smoothly.