I am a carpenter by trade and have used countersinks for many years and they always dull and start burning through hardwood fairly quickly. I haven't used it for a long time, but I can say that it cuts cleanly and quickly. The pilot beat is no different than any other beat (which some people have trouble with). It's part of the normal nature of this type of bit, so I don't take it too seriously. Just don't try to bend the drill as you drill. I can say that I am very happy with my purchase and the other guys are jealous π