Nail Drill Bit Guide: Grits, Collar Colours and Shapes
By Edmond Lin, M1 Nail & Beauty Supply, Markham ON · Last updated: September 30, 2026
The letters on a nail drill bit give its grit, from XF (extra fine) to 4XC (ultra coarse), and the coloured collar repeats that grit so you can pick the bit out of a tray. Coarse carbide bits remove acrylic and builder gel, medium and fine bits remove gel colour, and extra-fine bits work next to the natural nail. Diamond bits are for the cuticle and the skin around the nail.
This guide covers the 111 ONME drill bits M1 stocks in Markham, Ontario: 79 tungsten carbide, 27 diamond, 1 ceramic, 2 stone bits and 2 sanding band mandrels. Every ONME bit has a 3/32" (2.35 mm) shank, the size standard nail drills (e-files) take. Head sizes and lengths come from our suppliers' 2026 catalogues, and the diamond head diameters were measured. The grit-to-job chart is the bit manufacturer's coarseness chart.
In this guide
Nail drill bit grit chart: letters, collar colours and jobs
Coarsest to finest, in ONME collar colours
| Grit | Name | ONME collar colour | Use it for | ONME carbide bits in this grit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4XC | Ultra coarse | light blue | Removing acrylic | CY 4XC 7632 |
| 3XC | Triple coarse | pink | Removing acrylic | CY 3XC 224 CY 3XC 7632 3XC 166 3XC 788 3XC 865 (2-way) 3XC 910 (2-way) |
| 2XC | Double coarse | yellow | Removing nail tips, builder gel and gel extensions | CY 2XC 224 CY 2XC 7632 2XC 167 2XC 174 2XC 702 2XC 789 2XC 866 (2-way) 2XC 911 (2-way) |
| XC | Extra coarse | black | Removing nail tips, builder gel and gel extensions | CY XC 0232 CY XC 224 CY XC 7632 XC 703 XC 168 XC 175 XC 440 XC 790 XC 860 XC 149 (2-way) XC 867 (2-way) XC 912 (2-way) |
| C | Coarse | green | Removing tips, builder gel and extensions; shaping and shortening | CY C 0232 CY C 224 CY C 7632 C 055 C 061 C 441 C 704 C 753 C 791 C 819 C 861 C 921 C 150 (2-way) C 467 (2-way) C 868 (2-way) C 913 (2-way) |
| M | Medium | blue | Shaping, shortening and backfills; removing gel colour | CY M 224 CY M 232 CY M 7632 M 056 M 080 M 147 M 344 M 398 M 705 M 754 M 792 M 820 M 862 M 888 M 156 (2-way) M 468 (2-way) M 869 (2-way) M 914 (2-way) M 930 (2-way) |
| F | Fine | red | Removing gel colour | CY F 224 CY F 7632 F 057 F 148 F 793 F 157 (2-way) F 915 (2-way) F 915 S (2-way) F 931 (2-way) |
| XF | Extra fine | yellow | Removing base gel and surface work close to the natural nail | XF 504 XF 575 XF 794 XF 748 (2-way) |
| XXF | Double fine | purple | Removing base gel and surface work close to the natural nail | XXF 242 |
Collar colours are not standardized between manufacturers; some brands band 2XC in orange, for example. Go by the letters on the shank or the package, and use the colour only within one brand. On ONME bits yellow marks both 2XC and XF, so check the teeth: 2XC has deep, widely spaced flutes and XF has very shallow ones.
Carbide, diamond, ceramic or stone?
| Material | How it works | Use it for | ONME bits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tungsten carbide | Flutes cut and shave product off the nail instead of scratching it, which keeps heat build-up low over a long session. | Removing acrylic, builder gel, tips and gel colour; shaping and backfills | 79 bits, 4XC to XXF |
| Electroplated diamond | Diamond grit bonded to the head grinds rather than cuts. ONME medium (M) diamond bits are 170# grit and fine (F) are 320#. | Cuticle cleaning, dead skin, overflow gel at the sidewalls | 27 bits, M and F |
| Ceramic | A ceramic (silicon) abrasive head that stays cool in use. | Gentle smoothing and cuticle work | 1 bit (M 309) |
| Stone | A mounted aluminum oxide (pink) or silicon carbide (green) stone. | Smoothing and polishing the nail surface and cuticle area | CY S 123 CY S 581 |
Which shape does what
| Shape | What it does | ONME bits |
|---|---|---|
| Large barrel, smooth top | The widest head (6.6 mm) for removing product from the whole nail surface and for smoothing and shaping; the rounded top is gentle if it touches skin. | CY 2XC 7632 CY 3XC 7632 CY 4XC 7632 CY C 7632 CY F 7632 CY M 7632 CY XC 7632 2XC 167 3XC 166 C 055 F 057 M 056 XC 168 |
| Small barrel | A 5.35 mm barrel for the same removal and shaping work on smaller nails and near the sidewalls. Flat-top versions also clean the free edge and sidewalls with the top edge. | CY F 224 CY 2XC 224 CY 3XC 224 CY C 0232 CY C 224 CY M 224 CY M 232 CY XC 0232 CY XC 224 XC 703 2XC 174 2XC 702 C 061 C 704 M 705 XC 175 |
| Smooth tapered barrel | A barrel that narrows toward the base, for shaping and removing product close to the sidewalls. | 2XC 789 3XC 788 C 791 F 793 M 792 XC 790 XF 794 |
| 5-in-1 and 3-in-1 bits | One head that covers several working areas, so you can remove product and shape without changing bits. The backfill version is wider at the top for refill work near the free edge. | C 753 C 861 M 754 M 862 M 888 XC 860 XC+M+3XF 932 XC+XXF 887 XXC+M+XXF 381 2XC 866 (2-way) 2XC 911 (2-way) 3XC 865 (2-way) 3XC 910 (2-way) C 868 (2-way) C 913 (2-way) F 915 (2-way) F 915 S (2-way) M 869 (2-way) M 914 (2-way) XC 867 (2-way) XC 912 (2-way) |
| Flame | The pointed tip lifts and cleans the cuticle and the slim body reaches narrow sidewalls and corners. | CY M 060 M 080 M 220 M 320 C 467 (2-way) M 363 (2-way) M 468 (2-way) |
| Ball and round | A round head for cuticle-area work and smoothing. | F 208 F 931 (2-way) M 308 (2-way) M 310 (2-way) M 930 (2-way) |
| Cones, tapers and slim cuticle bits | Narrow heads for detail work: cleaning the cuticle line and sidewalls, removing overflow gel and working around nail art. | CY F 030 CY M 030 CY M 040 CY M 340 CY M 350 F 236 M 303 XXF 242 C 441 C 819 C 921 F 148 F 213 F 214 F 216 F 245 M 147 M 309 M 316 M 319 M 328 M 329 M 344 M 398 M 820 XC 440 C 150 (2-way) F 157 (2-way) F 215 (2-way) M 156 (2-way) M 304 (2-way) M 309 (2-way) M 313 (2-way) M 340 (2-way) XC 149 (2-way) |
| Buffer bits | Very shallow teeth made for the natural nail: they polish safely, clean the cuticle area and tidy gel polish edges. | XF 504 XF 575 XF 748 (2-way) |
| Stone bits | Mounted stones for smoothing, cleaning and polishing the nail surface and cuticle area. | CY S 123 CY S 581 |
| Sanding band mandrels | A holder for single-use sanding bands, which are sold separately. | Mandrel 679 Mandrel 551 |
What a 2-way bit is
A 2-way bit cuts smoothly with the drill running forward or in reverse, so the same bit works for left- and right-handed techs and for both hands of a client. M1 stocks 29 ONME 2-way bits; they have "2 Way" in the product name.
Using and cleaning a bit
- Use light pressure and keep the bit moving so heat does not build up in one spot.
- Start at a low speed and increase only as far as you need. For cuticle work with a diamond bit, about 8,000 to 15,000 RPM is a common range; adjust to your own experience.
- Clean carbide and diamond bits with a wire brush (or ultrasonic cleaner or alcohol) and disinfect them after each client. Use a nylon brush on ceramic bits and keep them out of UV sterilizers.
- Sanding bands are single-use: fit a new band on the mandrel for each client.
Frequently asked questions
What do the letters on a nail drill bit mean?
They give the grit. From finest to coarsest, ONME bits run XXF (double fine), XF (extra fine), F (fine), M (medium), C (coarse), XC (extra coarse), 2XC, 3XC and 4XC (ultra coarse).
Which nail drill bit removes gel polish?
A fine (F) or medium (M) carbide barrel removes gel colour. Switch to an extra-fine (XF) bit for base gel and any work close to the natural nail.
Which nail drill bit removes acrylic?
A 3XC or 4XC carbide barrel is made for acrylic removal. For nail tips, builder gel and gel extensions, use XC or 2XC.
What is the difference between carbide and diamond nail drill bits?
Carbide bits have flutes that cut product off the nail, so they are used for removal and shaping. Diamond bits grind with bonded grit and are used for cuticle cleaning and the skin around the nail.
What shank size do ONME drill bits have?
All ONME drill bits have a 3/32" (2.35 mm) shank, which fits standard nail drills (e-files).
What does the coloured ring on a nail drill bit mean?
It marks the grit. On ONME bits: light blue 4XC, pink 3XC, yellow 2XC, black XC, green C, blue M, red F, yellow XF and purple XXF. Other brands use different colours, so read the letters.
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