Please note: the smaller sizes set with tappered head while the bigger sizes with flat head!

Unlike most one step complete operation hand tap, this professional hand tap with full set of taps including 3pc: Taper(Starter), Plug and Bottoming (marked I,II,III on the shank of tap) to make more smooth, precision threading with longer working life.

• High quality alloy tool steel material
• For cutting standard screw threads
• For hand threading applications
• Used in a variety of ferrous and non-ferrous materials
• Straight flute

Hand Taps & Proper Tapping Techniques

Professional Hand taps come in three basic configurations -Taper, Plug and Bottoming.

TAPER taps have the first 7 to 10 threads at the tip ground flatter than the main body of the tap to enable easy starting of the threads in the hole. Sometimes called a starter tap, taper taps can be used to start the thread in a blind hole for another tap to finish or used to cut threads all the way on a through hole.

PLUG taps are like taper taps in that they have tapered threads at the starting end of the tap,  the difference is there are fewer of them, usually the first 3 to 5 threads, so you get to cutting a full thread sooner. Although not as easy to start as a taper tap, they can be used to start a thread. If you can only buy one type of tap, and you are a patient user, plug taps can be a good choice because they are still easy to start, but they can also form complete threads deeper into a blind hole than a taper tap.

BOTTOMING taps have no ground threads at the starting end and are generally used after, and in conjunction with a taper or plug tap. Bottom taps can cut threads to the bottom of blind holes although they do not do well at starting threads.