End mill cutter

An end mill cutter comprising:

• a parent cutter body having a cutter region of generally cylindrical shape having a cylindrical outer surface which defines an outer diameter, the cutter region having a plurality of flutes formed therein, each flute extending axially a length along the outer diameter, the cutter region comprising:
• a plurality of cutting edges distributed over the circumference of the cutter region, each cutting edge extending substantially along the length of a respective flute, the cutting edges defining a cutter outside diameter greater than the outer diameter of the cutter region;
• a plurality of flanks, each flank adjoining a respective cutting edge in the circumferential direction and extending substantially along the respective cutting edge, a portion of each flank being disposed within the cutter outside diameter defined by the respective cutting edge;
• and
• a plurality of supporting surfaces, each supporting surface adjoining a respective flank on that side which faces away from the cutting edge in the circumferential direction and extending substantially along the respective flank to define the respective flank in conjunction with the cutting edge, each supporting surface being disposed closer to the cutter outside diameter than the portion of the respective flank such that the supporting surfaces define an outside diameter less than the cutter outside diameter and greater than the outer diameter of the cutter region,
• wherein the cutting edges, the flanks adjoining said cutting edges, and the supporting surfaces are in each case an integral part of a carbide strip provided in a notched portion provided in the parent cutter body adjacent one of the plurality of flutes and circumferentially separated from another one of the number of flutes by a portion of the cylindrical outer surface of the cutter body, and
• wherein one or more carbide strips are brazed like cutting edge modules onto cutting edge regions on the parent body of the end mill cutter.