Why Kenella knock off 34mm drill bits are so popular in South Africa & Zimbabwe
- May 18
- 2 min read
Underground mines in South Africa and Zimbabwe still rely heavily on hand‑held airleg/jackleg drilling, where small‑hole, percussive tools must balance penetration rate, bit life, and cost. A 34 mm taper bit sits in the “sweet spot” for narrow‑reef development and stoping—big enough for effective blasting patterns, yet small enough for fast, controllable drilling with standard 22 mm hex steels.
Kenella knock off 34mm drill bits from Harlen Supplies are engineered for this exact use case, combining premium heat‑treated steel, robust carbide layouts, and 11° taper compatibility across common hand‑held systems.
Top 5 reasons the Kenella knock off 34mm drill bits are a winner underground
Perfect fit for regional underground drilling setups
SA’s mines typically employ 11° taper sockets on 22 mm (and 25 mm) hex drill rods, and 34 mm is a standard diameter offered locally, making Kenella’s 34 mm a plug‑and‑play choice for jackleg/airleg crews.
Optimised for narrow‑reef productivity
Jackleg drilling commonly targets ~32–41 mm holes; 34 mm strikes a proven balance between penetration speed, hole stability, and charge sizing—ideal for narrow vein faces in hard rock typical of SA and Zim underground operations.
Kenella build quality = longer life, lower cost per metre
Kenella bits use premium heat‑treated steel with 6–7 button carbide layouts, engineered for wear resistance in abrasive ground—delivering reliable performance and fewer change‑outs per shift.
System compatibility with Kenella drill steels (wet or dry)
Pairing the 34 mm bit with Kenella forged‑collar or rubber‑collared drill steel (22 mm hex, 11° taper) ensures efficient energy transfer, effective water flushing, and reduced thermal wear—key to bit life underground.
Readily available across SA & Zimbabwe with local support
Harlen Supplies stocks and supports Kenella consumables regionally, while the 34 mm class is widely used and supported by Southern African vendors—keeping lead times short and pricing competitive for underground fleets.
Kenella Knock‑Off / Taper Drill Bits (32–48 mm, incl. 34 mm) — Harlen Supplies.
Additional context:
Jackleg/airleg drilling remains a mainstay for narrow openings, with hole sizes often in the 1.25–1.6 in range (≈32–41 mm).
34 mm button bits are a common stocked size in Southern Africa.
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