Method for applying hardfacing to a substrate and its application to construction of milled tooth drill bits

A drill bit cutting element, comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• a hardface overlay applied to an exterior of said substrate, wherein a thickness of said hardface overlay is selected to correspond to a position about the exterior surface of said substrate, wherein said thickness generally, steadily increases as said position changes from a root end to a crest end of at least one flank of said cutting element, said substrate having a substantially regular exterior surface.

A method for applying hardfacing to a substrate, comprising:

• selecting a desired exterior surface configuration of said hardfacing;
• and
• applying said hardfacing to said substrate at each position along an exterior surface of said substrate to a thickness corresponding to a distance between said exterior surface configuration and said exterior surface of said substrate at each said position and wherein said thickness generally, steadily increases as said position changes from a root end to a crest end of at least one flank of said substrate, said substrate having a substantially regular exterior surface.