Cleaning Tools · Stickel GmbH · Reutlingen
Keyway-
Broaching tools
manufactured in-house
We are a manufacturer of broaching pins for keyways in accordance with DIN 6885—manufactured in Reutlingen and tailored to your machine, your material, and your production needs. Single-pass and multi-pass pins, three materials, two coatings—all from a single source.
Send a request now 07121 – 94 99 68-0The manufacturer
Reaming tools for keyways – from Reutlingen
A keyway broach is a precision-ground tool with multiple cutting teeth, the height of which increases slightly from tooth to tooth. During broaching, the tool is drawn through an existing hole in the workpiece—each tooth removes a defined amount of material until the keyway has reached the required width and depth as specified in DIN 6885.
Stickel GmbH has been manufacturing keyway broaching tools in-house for over 20 years. Each tool is tailored to your component, your broaching machine, and your material—from single-use tools to production-ready solutions for ongoing manufacturing.
In addition to standard tools in accordance with DIN 6885, we also manufacture custom broaches based on your drawings—for non-standard tolerances, unusual groove widths, or special machine mounts. Please contact us.
6885
Types of reamer
Without a chamfer, with a chamfer at the front or back
Depending on the component, groove geometry, and requirements for the entry edge, we offer broaching needles in three designs. The choice of edge break affects how the needle enters the bore and the surface quality achieved on the groove flank.
Without edge breakage
The classic design for standard applications. The cutting edges of the teeth are completely sharp and rectangular—with no chamfers or rounded corners on the side edges.
This version is the most cost-effective and is perfectly adequate for most standard keyways in accordance with DIN 6885. It produces a sharp, clearly defined groove with right-angled flanks—ideal for applications where there are no specific requirements regarding the lead-in or deburring.
Typical application: Standard keyways, standard materials, no special requirements for the leading edge.
Chip on the front edge
In this design, the cutting teeth have a defined chamfer or rounding on their leading edge—known as a trailing edge break. During clearing, this break simultaneously cuts away the leading edge of the groove.
The advantage: There is no need for a separate deburring step after broaching. The groove is given its final geometry, including a clean transition, in a single pass. This saves time in production and reduces the need for subsequent operations—which is particularly valuable in mass production.
Typical applications: Mass production, components requiring a break-in period, process optimization.
Rear edge break
With a trailing edge break, the chamfer is located on the rear edge of the cutting teeth. This design automatically breaks the trailing edge of the groove during reaming—that is, the edge at the end of the hole.
This is particularly useful for components where the trailing end of the groove is difficult to access or where manual deburring after broaching would be time-consuming or impossible. The trailing edge break ensures a clean, burr-free groove in a single operation.
Typical applications: Parts that are difficult to deburr, parts with limited space on the outlet side.
Needle types
Single-pull needles & multi-pull needles
The choice between a single-pass and multi-pass needle depends on the clearing length and the required groove depth. We can advise you on which type is the right choice for your component.
Threading needle
A grooving tool achieves the required groove depth in a single pass—that is, in a single stroke through the workpiece. All the necessary cutting teeth are located on a single grooving tool, which features a continuous arrangement of teeth ranging from roughing teeth to finishing teeth to calibrating teeth.
This is the most cost-effective and fastest solution for short to medium-length runs. A single machine cycle is all that’s needed—setup time is minimal, and cycle time is optimized.
- Groove depth achieved in one pass
- Minimum cycle time – ideal for mass production
- No tool changes between runs
- The most cost-effective solution for short travel distances
- Easy to use for the machine operator
multi-pass needle
When dealing with long broaching lengths or deep grooves, the broaching needle reaches its physical limits: The number of teeth required would make the broaching needle excessively long, and the chip chambers would no longer be able to accommodate the chips produced—which would lead to jamming and the destruction of both the tool and the workpiece.
Multi-pass reamers divide the machining process into several passes. Between each pass, a shim is placed under the workpiece to gradually build up the groove depth. Each reamer in the set is responsible for a specific portion of the total groove depth.
- Required for long cutting lengths and deep grooves
- Prevents the chip chambers from becoming overfilled
- The groove depth is built up gradually over several passes
- Clearing documents (clearing inserts) between trains
- Requires a compatible scraper mount
💡 When to use multiple moves, and when to use a single move?
As a general rule, if the broaching length is short and the groove depth is shallow, the single-pass broach is the more economical choice. For long workpieces or deep grooves where the chip chambers of a single-pass broach would be insufficient, we recommend the multi-pass broach set. We will design the broaching needle to match your broaching length, groove depth, and machine capacity—please contact us.
Tool materials
M2, M35, and PM-HSS – the right steel for every application
The base material of the broach has a decisive influence on service life, toughness, and applications. We manufacture in three quality grades—tailored to your material and production volume.
M2 – HSS
M2 is our most widely used tool material—and for good reason: This proven high-performance high-speed steel (HSS) reliably covers the vast majority of broaching applications. It offers an excellent combination of hardness, toughness, and grindability.
M2 is ideal for steel, heat-treated steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and gray cast iron—making it the first and most cost-effective choice for nearly all common component materials. Thanks to its high toughness, it is also less prone to fracture than higher-alloy steels.
Our standard: cost-effective, versatile, and the right choice for the vast majority of keyway applications.
M35 – HSS-Co
M35 is a cobalt-alloyed high-speed steel (HSS-Co) containing approximately 5% cobalt. Cobalt significantly increases the steel’s hot hardness and wear resistance—the cutting teeth remain sharp longer, even at higher cutting temperatures.
The M35 is the right choice for more challenging materials, higher cutting speeds, and larger production runs where the service life of an M2 needle is no longer sufficient.
Ideal for: More demanding materials, higher production volumes, and longer tool life.
ASP 2030 – PM-HSS
ASP 2030 is a powder metallurgy-produced high-performance high-speed steel (PM-HSS). The powder metallurgy process results in an extremely fine-grained, homogeneous microstructure without carbide segregation—leading to significantly higher wear resistance and better grindability than conventional HSS.
PM-HSS is the top choice for high-volume production, high-alloy materials, and any application where maximum tool life is critical and the higher tool cost is offset by extended service life.
Ideal for: High-volume production, high-alloy/difficult-to-machine materials, maximum cost-effectiveness.
Coatings
TiN & AlCrona Pro – the right coating for your application
A coating extends the service life of the broach, reduces friction, and improves chip evacuation. We offer two proven PVD coatings—we recommend the appropriate one based on the material and specific requirements.
TiN – Titanium nitride
TiN is the best-known and most proven hard coating for HSS broaching needles. Its characteristic golden-yellow color makes TiN instantly recognizable—and makes wear visible: as soon as the coating wears away from the cutting edges, the silvery base material shines through. This allows you to visually determine when it’s time to resharpen.
TiN reduces the coefficient of friction, improves flow characteristics during broaching, and significantly extends tool life compared to uncoated tools. Ideal for standard materials such as structural steel, heat-treated steel, gray cast iron, and brass.
AlCrona Pro
AlCrona Pro is a high-performance aluminum-chromium-nitride (AlCrN)-based coating designed for demanding machining applications. This light gray to silvery coating is characterized by extremely high hardness (approximately 3,200 HV) and outstanding heat resistance—it outperforms TiN significantly when machining at higher cutting temperatures and with harder materials.
AlCrona Pro is the right choice for high-alloy steels, stainless steels, and difficult-to-machine materials, as well as in applications where higher cutting speeds are used or maximum tool life is required.
Which combination is best for which application?
| Workpiece material | Recommended needle material | Recommended coating |
|---|---|---|
| Reinforcing steel, aluminum, brass, gray cast iron | M2 (Standard) | TiN or uncoated |
| Quenched and tempered steel C45, 42CrMo4, stainless steel | M2 (Standard) | TiN |
| Maximum service life, extreme conditions | M35 (HSS-Co) | TiN or AlCrona Pro |
| High-volume production, high-alloy specialty materials | PM-HSS (ASP 2030) | AlCrona Pro |
Related Products
Clearance Surveys & Clearance Documentation – All from a Single Source
A broach alone is not enough. To ensure reliable results, you need the right broach holder and—for multi-start broaches—the correct broaching inserts. We supply all components that are perfectly matched to each other.
Our product range
We offer the right components for every reamer—so you can get everything you need from a single source and be sure that all parts work together seamlessly.
Clearance surveys
Designed to fit your broach and broaching machine—for precise guidance and consistent results. Also available for custom machines upon request.
Clearing documents (clearing inserts)
Precision shims for multi-pass needles for gradually building up the groove depth. Precisely matched to the groove depth settings of your multi-pass needle.
Special-purpose tools
Reamer pins that deviate from the standard—manufactured to your specifications, for special tolerances, unusual groove widths, or specific machine mounts.
Service
Regrinding service for broach needles
A dull reamer does not need to be replaced—proper regrinding restores its full performance and significantly extends the tool's service life.
Cut for longer, invest less
After approximately 70–80 m of cutting, the cutting teeth of a broach begin to wear down—cutting forces increase, and surface quality deteriorates. Proper regrinding of the cutting surfaces restores the sharpness of the cutting edges.
During regrinding, the rake angle and clearance angle (chip chamber) are ground—if present, the chamfer is also regrounded. Regrinding the rake angle causes the broach to lose height. To restore the originally set groove depth, we recommend our broaching shims made of spring steel sheet—these precisely compensate for the loss of height and reliably restore the required groove depth.
A separate page with all the details about our re-sharpening service will be posted soon. Please feel free to contact us directly.
The page for our re-sharpening service will be available shortly
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ – Keyway Broaches
What is the difference between a single-pass needle and a multi-pass needle?
A single-pass broach achieves the required groove depth in a single stroke. This is the most cost-effective solution for short to medium broaching lengths. For long broaching lengths or deep grooves, it is necessary to switch to multi-pass broaches—the machining process is divided into several passes, with broaching pads placed under the workpiece between each pass. We can advise you on which type is suitable for your component.
Which tool material should I choose—M2, M35, or PM-HSS?
M2 HSS is our standard grade and covers the vast majority of applications—including stainless steel. It is cost-effective, versatile, and technically the right choice for nearly all common component materials. M35 offers higher hot hardness and longer tool life for more demanding applications. PM-HSS (ASP 2030) is the high-performance option for high-volume production and high-alloy special materials. We would be happy to recommend the right material for your specific application.
What is the difference between TiN and AlCrona Pro coatings?
TiN is golden yellow, has a hardness of approximately 2,300 HV, and is oxidation-resistant up to approximately 600 °C—the proven standard coating for HSS tools and standard materials. AlCrona Pro is light gray, achieves a hardness of approx. 3,200 HV, and is resistant up to approx. 1,100 °C—the high-performance coating for demanding materials, higher cutting temperatures, and maximum tool life. For simple applications, TiN is perfectly adequate—for difficult materials or high-volume production, we recommend AlCrona Pro.
What do "front edge break" and "rear edge break" mean?
Front chamfering (leading-edge chamfering) means that the chamfer is applied to the leading edge of the cutting teeth—the leading edge of the groove is automatically chamfered during clearing. Rear chamfering (trailing-edge chamfering) chamfers the trailing edge of the groove. Both designs eliminate the need for a separate deburring step. The standard design without chamfering is suitable for normal applications without specific edge requirements.
Do you also manufacture custom-sized needles that differ from the standard?
Yes—that’s one of our core competencies. We manufacture broaching pins according to your drawings for non-standard groove widths, special tolerances, unusual groove geometries, or specific machine mountings. Send us your drawing—we’ll provide a quick quote and offer technical advice.
Do you also offer clearance surveys and clearance documentation?
Yes—we supply not only the broaching needles but also the corresponding broaching holders and broaching inserts. Especially with multi-pass needles, it is important that the needle and inserts are properly matched. We provide everything from a single source.
Can I have my reamer resharpened?
Yes—we offer a professional resharpening service. By professionally resharpening the cutting edges, we restore the tool’s full cutting performance. This significantly extends the service life of your broach and is much more cost-effective than purchasing a new one. Please contact us directly for our resharpening service.
How long does it take to receive a reamer?
Delivery times depend on the groove width, material, and coating. We can often deliver standard sizes that are in high demand more quickly. For custom tools based on drawings, we will provide a firm quote once we receive your order. Please contact us for a specific delivery date.
Request a reamer – we're here to help
Please provide the groove width, clearing length, and material—we will recommend the appropriate needle type, material, and coating, and send you a quote within 24 hours.
Request a scraper now