Viking Drill & Tool

Viking Drill & Tool — Professional Cutting Tools Since 1954

Based in St. Paul, Minnesota and operating under the Norseman brand name, Viking Drill & Tool has been manufacturing professional-grade drill bits and cutting tools in the United States since 1954. In an era where most tooling has been offshored to the lowest-cost producer, Viking remains committed to American manufacturing — and the quality difference is immediately apparent to anyone who has worked their way through a cheap import set and reached for a Norseman bit instead. These are tools built for machinists, tradespeople, and serious DIYers who drill through metal for a living and can't afford bits that wander, walk, or dull after ten holes.

The 135° Split Point Advantage

The defining feature across Viking's Magnum Super Premium drill sets is the 135-degree split point tip geometry. This matters more than most buyers realise. A standard 118-degree point requires centre-punching before drilling to prevent the bit from walking across the workpiece surface. Viking's 135-degree split point self-centres on contact — no punch required — and starts cutting immediately rather than rubbing and generating heat before penetrating. The result is faster starts, truer holes, longer bit life, and less operator frustration. Once you've drilled with a proper split point bit, going back to a conventional tip feels like a step backwards.

Magnum Super Premium (UB) Series

The core of the Viking range is the Magnum Super Premium (Type 240-UB and 250-UB) jobber and mechanical drill sets. These high-speed steel bits are manufactured to tight tolerances with a bright finish and the signature 135-degree split point. Available in 21-piece mechanical sets, 29-piece jobber sets, and a comprehensive 60-piece jobber set, they cover every standard fractional drill size a workshop needs. The 60-piece SP-60 set in particular represents outstanding value — a complete fractional set from a domestic manufacturer at a price point that makes sense for a professional shop investment.

Ultra Dex Series

The Ultra Dex (Type 250-UB) sets step up the specification with enhanced geometry and finish for demanding applications. The 21-piece SPM-21 mechanical set and the 29-piece Ultra Dex sets are the go-to choice for production drilling environments where consistency across hundreds of holes matters as much as initial sharpness.

CN-Tech Cryo Series — Cryogenically Treated for Maximum Life

The Type 240-CN Ultra Dex CN-Tech Cryo 29-piece set represents Viking's most advanced drill technology. Cryogenic treatment — deep freezing the steel to around -300°F after heat treatment — relieves internal stress in the metal and refines the grain structure, producing a measurably harder, tougher cutting edge that stays sharp significantly longer than conventionally treated bits. For production work in hard materials like stainless steel, hardened alloys, or cast iron, the cryo treatment pays for the premium within the first job.

Cobalt Series — For Stainless & Hard Alloys

Where high-speed steel reaches its limits — drilling stainless steel, titanium, and other hard, work-hardening alloys — cobalt steps in. Viking's Type 240-D Cobalt Jobber Gold Finish 29-piece set uses M42 cobalt high-speed steel with 8% cobalt content, ground to the same 135-degree split point standard. The gold finish (titanium nitride coating) further increases surface hardness and lubricity. These are the bits to reach for when the standard HSS set is struggling to cut cleanly.

Speciality Tools

Beyond jobber sets, Viking rounds out the range with purpose-built tooling:

• 4-Piece Car Reamer Set (Type 50-UB) — standard flute reamers for enlarging and finishing drilled holes to precise dimensions, essential for bearing fits and precision assemblies
• 14-Piece Brad Point Set (Type 16-UB) — the right tool for clean, accurate holes in wood; the brad point tip centres precisely and the spurs cut a clean edge without tear-out
• Twin-End Cobalt Spot Weld Drill Bits (8mm, 5-pack) — double-ended cobalt bits specifically designed for drilling out spot welds in automotive bodywork; the twin-end design doubles usable life
• Quick-Release 16-Piece Set — hex shank bits for rapid driver bit changes in power drills and impact drivers
• Type 278-UB Reduced Shank 29-Piece Set — larger diameter bits with reduced shanks to fit standard 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch drill chucks

Why Choose Viking Drill & Tool?

• Made in the USA — manufactured in St. Paul, Minnesota since 1954
• 135-degree split point — self-centring tip across the entire premium range, no centre punch needed
• Full range of specifications — HSS, cobalt, cryogenically treated, brad point, reamers, and spot weld bits
• Professional tolerances — drill bits that hold size and run true, not budget bits that wobble
• Trusted by machinists and tradespeople — a genuine industry reputation built over seven decades