Hole cutter with chip egress aperture

A hole cutter for cutting a work piece, comprising:

• a substantially cylindrical blade body defining a blade body circumference;
• an annular cutting edge formed on one end of the blade body;
• and
• a plurality of slots formed through the blade body and together defining a slot area, each of the slots spaced from the cutting edge such that a portion of the blade body extends between the cutting edge and each of the slots;
• wherein each of the slots is configured to receive therethrough a lever for removing a work piece slug from an interior of the blade body, and the blade body defines, within the plurality of slots, a plurality of fulcrums configured for engaging the lever and for levering the slug out of the interior of the blade body by applying a sufficient levering force against the fulcrums to lever the slug towards the cutting edge, the plurality of fulcrums comprising a first fulcrum axially spaced a first distance from the cutting edge and a second fulcrum axially spaced a second distance, greater than the first distance, from the cutting edge;
• and
• wherein one of:
• (i) the blade body defines a diameter within the range of about ⅞ inch to about 1 7/16 inches, and a ratio of the slot area to the blade body circumference is between about 0.18 and about 0.31;
• (ii) the blade body defines a diameter within the range of about 1½ inches to about 3⅜ inches, and a ratio of the slot area to the blade body circumference is between about 0.10 and about 0.24;
• and (iii) the blade body defines a diameter of about 3½ inches or greater, and a ratio of the slot area to the blade body circumference is between about 0.11 and about 0.21.