B02964 is Castle's premium pilot hole bit. Its Brad and Spur tip tracks well, while taking aggressive "bites" of wood that keep the bit cooler.  A thin layer of Titanium Nitrite (TiN)  provides a thermal and lubricative barrier that protects the steel underneath. It is actually harder than carbide and the 3 micron coating doesn't affect cutting ability or characteristics. In field tests conducted by heavy volume woodworkers, we found this bit to have up to three times the cutting life of our other drill bits.