tap and die set?

As a Tool & Die maker, I can tell you a few things about taps & metallurgy.

When a seller brags about tungsten in a tool alloy, it is usually cheap stuff. Tungsten is used to alloy some tool steels, but you really need chromium, carbon and perhaps come cobalt for a high quality tool.

Taps are a different animal from other cutting tools. There are plenty of different types, because of the wide variety of materials & types of applications. A tap that is very hard will last a long time in a high speed machining center - but is easily broken when tapping by hand.

The term "stainless" covers a huge range of materials. Some of it is soft & gummy, some much tougher. It is not so much "hard" as it is tough & stringy. If you are tapping new holes in 300 series stainless, you need a sharp tap & good lubricant.

Tap Sets usually leave you with taps you may never use. If you don't really own many taps, I would recommend owning an inexpensive "set" for cleaning up rusty holes, removing paint, etc.

For tapping new holes in things you are making, buy quality taps from a US maker like Reiff & Nestor Quality counts when you get to the hole tapping part of things. I have been using R&N taps for a long time in stuff like titanium, tool steels & stainless. They do offer sets if you want to go that way - http://www.rntap.com/tap-technical-information/tap-set.aspx .

Lubricant is as important as tap material. Using the wrong cutting fluid can break a tap quick. For aluminum, use ATF. For steels, use a sulpherized oil. Products like Anchorlube are great in all metals, and can extend your cutting tool life. Anchorlube is available from McMaster-Carr, as well as quality taps.

In reality you need about 10 taps in your kit. 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 7/16, 1/2 in NC & NF. Double that if you have both taper & plug styles.

Never use your sharp cutting taps to clean out rusty block holes. Use some chrome plated craftsman, or Harbor freight junk for that. Rust & crud is abrasive, and no place to use a good tap.

Hope this helps.

B.