In 1999, Epley Enterprises pioneered the creation and development of the Rockbuster. The Rockbuster is a unique design combining three distinctly different face angles with a special grade of carbide, a special grade of steel, and with special engineered chipways in its face, thus, ensuring that the highest penetration rates when air hammer drilling in hard rock are achieved. In other words, if the rock drilled exceeds 20,000 psi compressive strength, the Rockbuster is a suitable choice.
The Rockbuster can also be described by saying that it is a hybrid between the Concave and Convex drill bit face designs. The Concave bit face design holds a very straight hole due to the tapered recess in the face of the bit. This recess or "dish" causes a slight coring action which makes the bit hold true. This coring action also gives excellent penetration and very positive air flushing of the hole.
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The Convex bit face design does not have a tapered recess in the face and comes with two different gage rows leading up to its flat impact face. The inner gage row helps to protect the outer row from excessive wear. Having in mind both the Concave and Convex bit face designs, the Rockbuster was developed, which can also described as a Convex with a smaller than the Concave recess in the face.
The Rockbuster quickly became very popular with drillers and other drilling equipment manufacturers followed and started making the bits in this design. As a result, the Rockbuster became also known as Rockcrusher and CC Krusher. Today, the Rockbuster is becoming the most commonly used drill bits' face design.