Multi-flute end mill

A multi-flute end mill, comprising:

• an end face;
• a plurality of flutes extending helically from the end face along a generally axial direction of the end mill, wherein each flute defines a similar flute helix angle profile;
• a plurality of peripheral cutting edges, each adjoining a corresponding one of the helical flutes, wherein two or more of the plurality of peripheral cutting edges comprise extended peripheral edges that continuously extend to become a corresponding end face cutting edge terminating at the end face, and wherein two or more of the peripheral cutting edges are terminated peripheral edges terminating at a predetermined axial distance from the end face;
• and
• a gash interposed between a forward end of each of the terminated peripheral edges and the end face, wherein each gash extends circumferentially from one end face cutting edge to a land adjoining an adjacent end face cutting edge, and wherein each gash has a circumferential dimension, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the end mill, which is greater than a circumferential dimension of one or more of the plurality of flutes.