Burs come in a multitude of different shapes. When starting out, try to buy just a few of the basic shapes as it is easy to buy too many and find that some are never used.
Burs are made from 3 types of steel:
- Vanadium: Cheapest, but wear out quickly. Use at slow speeds to prolong their life.
- High Speed (HSS): Medium cost and can maintain their cutting edge at high speeds.
- Carbide: Most expensive, but will last the longest at high speeds.
Additionally, burs can also be obtained as cross-cut type, where the teeth operate in a similar manner to a double cut file. Diamond tipped burs have points covered with tiny particles of diamond, and can be used to grind away the surface of almost any material.
Common shapes
Ball
This bur is available in the most varied sizes. It is primarily used for enlarging or de-burring holes and refining bezels for stone setting. Due to the spherical shape, this bur can be used at any angle.
Setting
This is a tapered bur with straight sides. This shape is mainly used for cutting seats in claw settings and creating bezels in tube settings.
Hart
This is a popular stone setter’s bur used for cutting seats in both claw and channel settings.
Cone
The straight taper of a cone bur is ideal for enlarging or de-burring holes.
Cup
This bur has cutting teeth on the inside of the cup shaped head. It can be used to create neat rounded ends on wire or the tips of claw settings. This bur will clog easily, so always use lubrication and check progress regularly.
Cylinder
The long, straight sides of this bur mean that it can rapidly remove large volumes of metal; making this bur a good alternative to a file.
Bud
This bur gradually tapers to a point, and can be used in for enlarging or de-burring holes.
Wheel
This low profile cylinder is idea for shaping the interior of a bezel when setting cabochon stones.
Knife edge
The sharply defined edges of this bur are excellent at cutting lines and removing material from tight gaps.
