ROTATABLE CUTTING TOOL AND CUTTING TOOL BODY

摘要

A rotatable cutting tool (20) carried in a bore of a holder. The rotatabl e cutting tool (20) includes an elongate cutting tool body (22) that has a c entral longitudinal axis (L-L), an axial forward end (24) and an axial rearw ard end (26). The cutting tool body has an axial forward hardness region (60 ) having a first average hardness, a rearward hardness region (64) having a third average hardness, and a transition hardness region (62) mediate of and contiguous with the axial forward hardness region (60) and the axial rearwa rd hardness region (64), the transition hardness region (62) having a second average hardness. The second average hardness is less than the first hardne ss, and the third average hardness is less than the second average hardness.