Kennametal Tool Holders: What THE Pays for Your Excess Inventory
Tool Holder Exchange buys used Kennametal tool holders, inserts, and modular tooling in any condition. Kennametal is one of the most recognized names in metalcutting, and their tooling holds strong resale value on the secondary market. If you have surplus Kennametal sitting in your tool crib, we’ll pay significantly more than a scrap dealer.
Call (517) 420-5401 for a quote on your Kennametal inventory.
Why Kennametal Tooling Is Worth Selling (Not Scrapping)
Kennametal has been building cutting tools since 1938 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Their tooling is in virtually every CNC machine shop in the country. That kind of market penetration creates something scrap recyclers can’t offer you: liquidity. Kennametal tooling sells fast on the secondary market because buyers already know and trust the brand.
A scrap recycler pays $8 to $12 per pound for carbide. That pricing ignores what the tooling actually is. A Kennametal CAT40 shrink fit holder that costs $200 to $400 new still has $60 to $150 of resale value used. A box of 10 CNMG inserts that costs $80 to $150 new can bring $30 to $70 if they have edge life remaining. That’s 3 to 10 times what scrap pays.
The difference comes down to this: scrap dealers weigh your tooling. We evaluate it by brand, condition, product line, and current market demand. Kennametal checks every box that drives resale value up.
Have Kennametal tooling sitting in your tool crib? Call (517) 420-5401 for a quick quote.
Kennametal Products We Buy
Here’s a breakdown of the specific Kennametal product lines we purchase:
KM Modular System
KM40, KM50, KM63 adapters, extensions, and boring bars hold their price because shops running the KM system need specific components. You can’t substitute generic tooling into a KM setup, so captive demand keeps resale values strong.
Standard Taper Holders
- CAT40 and CAT50 holders (end mill, collet chuck, shell mill, shrink fit)
- BT40 holders
- HSK shrink fit holders and collet chucks
- Hydraulic milling chucks
- Mechanical milling chucks
Boring Tools
- Carbide shank boring bars
- Steel shank boring bars
- KM modular boring bars and heads
- Micro-boring tools
Collet Systems
- ER collet chucks (ER16 through ER40)
- TG and DA collet systems
Carbide Tooling
- Solid carbide end mills and drills
- Indexable insert holders (milling, turning, threading, grooving)
- Carbide inserts in all grades and geometries (CNMG, WNMG, DNMG, CCMT, VNMG, and more)
- Carbide reamers
If you have Kennametal tooling not listed here, call anyway. We’ve bought Kennametal products that the current catalog doesn’t even list anymore. Discontinued items can be worth more, not less, because replacements are hard to find.
What Your Kennametal Tooling Is Worth
Resale value depends on product type, condition, and current demand. Here’s what we typically see:
| Product | New Price Range | Used Resale Range | Key Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| KM modular adapters | $300 – $800 | $100 – $350 | Proprietary system, high demand |
| CAT40 shrink fit holders | $200 – $400 | $60 – $150 | Condition of the bore |
| Hydraulic milling chucks | $400 – $900 | $120 – $350 | Hydraulic seal integrity |
| ER collet chucks | $80 – $250 | $25 – $90 | Taper and thread condition |
| Solid carbide end mills (unused) | $40 – $200 | $15 – $80 | Diameter, coating, whether reground |
| CNMG inserts (10-pack, edge life remaining) | $80 – $150 | $30 – $70 | Grade, remaining edge count |
| Indexable milling bodies | $200 – $600 | $60 – $200 | Insert pocket condition |
Volume pricing: If you have 50+ Kennametal holders or 500+ inserts, we’ll come to your shop and make an offer on the entire lot. Larger quantities mean better per-piece pricing.
Ready to find out what your Kennametal inventory is worth? Call (517) 420-5401 or submit your list online.
How Selling Your Kennametal Tooling Works
- Send us what you have. A list with part numbers works best. Photos of the tooling with visible Kennametal markings are also helpful. Use our sell form, email us, or call (517) 420-5401.
- We quote it. We know Kennametal product lines and current secondary market pricing. You get a firm dollar amount, not a vague estimate.
- Ship or schedule pickup. For smaller lots, we provide a prepaid shipping label. For larger inventories (50+ pieces), we’ll arrange on-site pickup at your facility.
- Get paid. Payment processes after we receive and verify the tooling. No waiting 30 or 60 days.
Most deals close in 5 to 10 business days. On-site evaluations for larger lots can be faster.
Common Kennametal Inventory We See
Three scenarios bring Kennametal tooling to us more than any others:
Tooling program changeover. A shop switches from Kennametal to Sandvik (or vice versa) as their primary insert supplier. The result: a drawer full of unused Kennametal inserts, partially used boxes, and holders that were bought for the old program. This tooling has real value, and we buy all of it.
Spindle taper upgrade. When a shop replaces CAT40 machines with HSK spindles, every CAT40 holder becomes surplus overnight. Kennametal CAT40 holders from these changeovers are often in excellent condition because they were rotated through a well-maintained tool crib. These are our highest-value acquisitions.
Plant closure or downsizing. Entire Kennametal tooling inventories need to move quickly. We buy complete tool crib cleanouts, from holders to inserts to solid carbide. We’ve evaluated and purchased Kennametal lots ranging from a single drawer to full cribs with thousands of pieces.
If any of these situations describe your shop, we’re the buyer.
FAQ
Q: How much are used Kennametal tool holders worth?
Used Kennametal holders typically sell for 30% to 50% of their new price. KM modular tooling and precision holders like hydraulic chucks fall at the higher end. Standard ER collet chucks and end mill holders fall at the lower end. Condition, taper type, and current demand all factor into the final number. Call (517) 420-5401 with your specific inventory for an accurate quote.
Q: Do you buy Kennametal inserts that have been used?
Yes, if they have remaining edge life. We buy partially used boxes and individual inserts with unused edges. Inserts that are fully worn down go to carbide recycling, but even those are worth more than most scrap dealers pay because we process them correctly. Send us part numbers and approximate quantities for a quote.
Q: What Kennametal products are worth the most?
KM modular system tooling (KM40, KM50, KM63 adapters and boring bars) commands the highest resale prices because of the proprietary connection and captive demand. After that, precision holders like hydraulic chucks and shrink fit holders. Standard CAT40 collet chucks and end mill holders are the most common but still carry good value compared to generic brands.
Q: Should I sell Kennametal tooling or scrap it?
Sell it. Scrap recyclers pay $8 to $12 per pound for carbide and even less for steel holders. We pay based on what the tooling actually is, not what it weighs. A single Kennametal KM adapter that weighs two pounds might be worth $100 to $200 to us versus $16 to $24 at a scrap yard. The math is not close.
Q: Do you buy KM modular system tooling?
Yes. KM modular tooling is some of the most valuable used tooling we buy. KM40, KM50, and KM63 adapters, extensions, boring bars, and clamping units all hold strong value. If you’re decommissioning a KM setup or have surplus KM components, we want to see the full list.
Get a Quote on Your Kennametal Tooling
Kennametal tooling belongs in a shop, not in a scrap bin. Tool Holder Exchange pays resale rates for your surplus Kennametal holders, inserts, and modular tooling. Whether it’s five holders or a full crib cleanout, we’ll give you a firm quote and move fast.
Call (517) 420-5401 or submit your inventory online to get started.
For carbide-specific tooling (inserts, solid carbide end mills, boring bars), see our dedicated carbide page.