Buy Parting, Grooving & Cut-Off Online in Australia
Parting / Grooving / Cut-Off Quick Reference
Parting + grooving tools cut narrow deep slots in turning operations — parting separates a finished part from bar stock; grooving cuts retaining ring grooves, O-ring seats and decorative profiles. The cut is narrow, side clearance is critical, and the tool tip is unsupported. AIMS stocks HSS blades + holders, indexable insert systems for production work, and specialty grooving tools.
| Tool Type | Cut Width Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| HSS Parting Blade + Holder | 2-6 mm typical | Manual lathe parting — traditional workshop setup, blade resharpenable |
| Indexable Parting Inserts + Holders | 1.4-6 mm | CNC + production work — replaceable tip, consistent cut width |
| X-Lock / Side-Lock Blade Systems | 2-6 mm | Production parting with X-Lock blades — quick blade change |
| External Grooving Inserts | 1-12 mm (various widths) | O-ring grooves, retaining ring grooves, snap-ring grooves on shafts |
| Internal Grooving Tools | Various sizes — bore dependent | Internal O-ring grooves, internal retaining ring grooves in bores |
| Face Grooving Tools | Various — radial cut depth | Concentric grooves on workpiece face — sealing grooves, alignment features |
| Specialty Profile Grooving | Custom profiles | Threaded undercut grooves, specific industry profiles |
Critical: parting cuts need RIGID setup — minimum overhang from toolholder, secure workpiece, low feed rate. Tool deflection on parting causes chatter, tool breakage and dimensional error. For complete parting + grooving range, see parting/grooving/cut-off. Companion: indexable turning tools, end mills, reamers.
Parting, Grooving and Cut-Off Tooling
Parting and grooving tools cut narrow, deep slots into rotating workpieces on a lathe — parting (sometimes called cut-off) separates a finished part from the bar stock it was machined from; grooving cuts retaining ring grooves, O-ring seats, and decorative profiles. The tooling is specialised because the cut is narrow, the side clearance is critical, and the tool tip is unsupported by the surrounding material. AIMS Industrial stocks parting, grooving, and cut-off tooling for lathe and turning workshops.
What's in the range
- Parting blades and holders — HSS blade in a holder, the traditional parting setup for general lathe work
- Indexable parting tools — replaceable carbide insert in a steel holder, longer life and faster cutting than HSS
- Grooving tools — for cutting external and internal grooves of specific widths and depths
- Cut-off inserts — replacement carbide inserts for indexable parting tools
- Internal grooving bars — for cutting grooves inside bores
- Threading tools and tips — closely related tooling, often sharing holder geometry
HSS blade versus indexable
HSS parting blades are the traditional choice — economical, easy to resharpen, and forgiving of speed and feed errors. Indexable carbide tooling cuts faster, lasts longer between insert changes, and produces better surface finish — but is less forgiving of vibration, deflection, and interrupted cuts. For occasional parting work in mixed materials, HSS earns its place; for production parting at speed, indexable is the right call.
Common parting problems
- Chatter — usually the tool projecting too far from the holder, or workpiece overhang causing flexure. Reduce projection and check setup.
- Tool dig-in — cutting edge below centre height grabs as the cut deepens. Set the tool tip exactly on centre.
- Poor surface finish — feed rate too high, or tool nose not properly ground. Reduce feed rate first; check tool geometry second.
- Tool breakage — usually misalignment, oversized feed, or trying to part too large a workpiece for the holder. Match tooling to job size.
Insert geometry — what to look for
Parting and cut-off inserts come in different widths and chip-breaker geometries. Wider inserts are stiffer and tolerate higher feed rates; narrower inserts waste less material but require more rigid setups. Chip-breaker geometry on the insert top face controls how the chip curls — important on continuous cuts to prevent a long ribbon wrapping around the workpiece.
Brands stocked at AIMS
SECO is the approved premium brand for indexable parting and grooving tooling. We also stock HSS parting blades and holders from quality manufacturers in the standard width and length range. Inserts and replacement blades are stocked alongside the tooling to support production work.
Setup advice
Tool tip exactly on workpiece centre height (a fraction high or low changes the rake angle dramatically and causes problems). Tool projection from the holder should be the minimum needed to clear the workpiece — every extra millimetre of projection increases flexure. Workpiece projection from the chuck should also be minimal; long overhangs flex and cause poor finish or chatter.
Need help matching tooling to a specific lathe, workpiece, or material? contact our team — we'll work through the spec.
People Also Ask — Parting, Grooving and Cut-Off Tools
Q: What's a parting tool used for?
A parting tool (also called a cut-off tool) is a lathe cutter designed to part off (separate) a finished workpiece from the bar stock, or to cut deep narrow grooves. The cutting edge is much narrower than the tool body — typically 2-4mm wide for general workshop work — allowing the tool to cut deep into the workpiece without excessive material removal. Used in turning, machining, and any operation requiring narrow deep cuts.
Q: HSS or indexable parting tool?
HSS parting tool (T-section or blade-in-holder): cost-effective, sharpenable, suits manual and CNC lathe work. Standard workshop choice. Indexable carbide parting tool (replaceable inserts): higher cost, much longer tool life, faster cutting speeds, essential for CNC production parting. For workshop manual lathe use, HSS; for CNC production, indexable carbide. Quality indexable parting tools (SECO, Sandvik, Kennametal) deliver excellent service in production environments.
Q: How do I prevent parting tool breakage?
Critical factors: rigid setup (minimum tool overhang from holder), correct tool height (centre or slightly below centre), adequate coolant flow (parting generates heat in a confined cut), appropriate feed rate (too slow rubs and work-hardens; too fast breaks), and clean swarf evacuation (avoid recirculation of chips into the cut). Parting tools break more often than other lathe tools — careful technique and rigid setup are essential. See [Cutting Speeds & Feeds Chart](/blogs/product-guides/cutting-speeds-feeds-chart).
Q: What width parting blade do I need?
Match the blade width to your lathe size and the work. Small lathes (under 250mm centre height): 2-3mm parting blade. Mid-size workshop lathes: 3-4mm. Large industrial lathes: 4-6mm. Wider blades are more rigid but waste more material as kerf. For minimum waste of expensive material, use narrower blades; for maximum tool life on heavy work, use wider blades. Specialty applications: 1mm parting blades for thin-material precision work.
Q: Can parting tools also do grooving?
Yes — parting tools and grooving tools are similar in geometry; the main difference is depth of cut. Parting goes through the entire workpiece; grooving makes a partial-depth groove. The same tool can do both — for shallow grooves on small parts, a parting blade works fine. For long workpieces or production grooving, dedicated grooving tools (with specific geometry for the groove profile) deliver better results. Indexable insert systems often offer dedicated grooving inserts as a separate range.