How to find the right Tooth Lock Washers AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in Tooth Lock Washers
- Tooth style
- Use internal teeth under small heads and nuts, external teeth where the bearing face is large enough to cover them, and countersunk tooth washers under flat-head screws. Teeth only work if the head or nut fully covers and loads them.
- Standard
- Look for ASME B18.21.1 (inch) or DIN 6797 (metric, with A for external, J for internal, and V for countersunk), and treat DIN 6798 as the serrated variant. Standard parts have consistent tooth geometry and hardness, so they bite rather than fold over.
- Electrical grounding
- Use external-tooth steel or stainless washers to cut through paint or anodizing for a ground bond. This is the use case where tooth washers clearly earn their place over other lock types.
- Surface tolerance
- Do not use them on finished, plated, or soft surfaces that must stay unmarked, or put a flat washer between if bite is not needed. The teeth deliberately scar the mating surface.
Brands that matter
- Hillman: Small packs of internal and external tooth washers in common sizes.
- uxcell: Bulk metric and inch internal and external tooth assortments.
What to avoid
- Choosing external-tooth washers where the head does not cover the teeth
- Reusing tooth washers with flattened teeth
- Plain-steel tooth washers on stainless hardware outdoors
Questions
Internal or external teeth?
Choose internal teeth for compactness and a clean look under small heads. Choose external teeth for more grip area and better electrical contact when the head is large enough.