Shortlist · Maintenance parts
Wear-resistant nozzles for abrasive filament, by thread standard
Two Micro Swiss MK8 wear-resistant nozzles with a stated M6x1.0 thread and printer list, what each maker figure means, and which printers they are not for.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. How we make money
Short answer
For an MK8-nozzle printer that Micro Swiss lists, such as the Ender 3, Ender 3 Pro or Ender 3 V2, both approved picks are wear-resistant MK8 nozzles with an M6x1.0 thread. Choose the A2 for its stated purpose (abrasive filament) or the M2 if a published hardness and temperature figure matters to you. Neither fits Prusa Nozzle, Revo or quick-swap printers.
How we chose
A nozzle for abrasive filament has to pass three checks before it goes on this list:
- The maker states the thread standard and the printers it fits. Nozzle families are not interchangeable. Bondtech, for example, sells its CHT nozzles to the RepRap, MK8 and Volcano standards, all with M6x1 threads but different lengths.[1]
- The maker states what it is made of and what it is for. E3D marks its hardened steel, Nozzle X and ObXidian V6 nozzles as abrasion resistant, and its brass, stainless steel and plated copper ones as not.[2]
- The seller is the brand or a store the brand links. Both picks are Micro Swiss listings on Amazon.
No nozzle is wear-proof. E3D says materials with aggressive fillers can cause significant wear even on its ObXidian nozzles.[3] Temperature ratings are nozzle figures; E3D rates its V6 nozzles at 300 °C for brass and 350 °C for hardened steel, and the whole hotend sets the usable limit.[2]
MK8 nozzle for abrasive filament
Micro Swiss MK8 plated A2 tool-steel wear-resistant nozzle, 0.4 mm (M2585‑04)
Pick it if: MK8-nozzle printers on Micro Swiss's list, printing carbon-fiber or metal-filled filament
- Why it's here
- Micro Swiss makes it from heat-treated A2 tool steel with TwinClad XT plating, for abrasive filaments such as carbon fiber and metal-filled materials, with an M6x1.0 thread and 13 mm length. Micro Swiss lists MK8-style printers including the Ender 3, Ender 3 Pro, Ender 3 V2, Ender 3 S1 and Sovol SV06.
- Watch out
- Micro Swiss's two pages give different hardness figures and neither states a maximum temperature, so we publish neither. It names printer models only, not stock-hotend revisions. The link opens the 0.4 mm listing (M2585-04); other sizes and a value pack are on the same page. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or Micro Swiss.
- Printer model
- Ender 2 · Ender 3 · Ender 3 Pro · Ender 3 V2 · Ender 3 S1 · Ender 3 Max · Ender 5 · Ender 5 Pro · Ender 5 Plus · Ender 6 · CR-10 family · Sovol SV01 · Sovol SV03 · Sovol SV04 · Sovol SV05 · Sovol SV06 · MakerBot Replicator · CraftBot
- Hardware revision
- Not stated
- Firmware requirement
- Not stated
- Current rating
- Not stated
Values are the manufacturer's specs unless marked.
MK8 nozzle with a stated hardness and temperature
Micro Swiss MK8 plated M2 hardened high-speed-steel nozzle, 0.4 mm (M2500‑04)
Pick it if: MK8-nozzle printers on Micro Swiss's list where a stated hardness figure matters to you
- Why it's here
- Micro Swiss states that its M2 high-speed steel MK8 nozzle is hardened to 68 HRC and keeps that hardness up to 450 °C. It lists the same MK8 printers as the A2 nozzle.
- Watch out
- The 450 °C is a figure for the nozzle material, not for your hotend, whose heater, sensor and firmware set the real limit. The link opens the 0.4 mm listing (M2500-04). On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or Micro Swiss.
- Printer model
- Ender 2 · Ender 3 · Ender 3 Pro · Ender 3 V2 · Ender 3 S1 · Ender 3 Max · Ender 5 · Ender 5 Pro · Ender 5 Plus · Ender 6 · CR-10 family · Sovol SV01 · Sovol SV03 · Sovol SV04 · Sovol SV05 · Sovol SV06 · MakerBot Replicator · CraftBot
- Hardware revision
- Not stated
- Firmware requirement
- Not stated
- Current rating
- Not stated
Values are the manufacturer's specs unless marked.
What each maker states
- A2 tool steel (M2585-04). Micro Swiss makes its plated MK8 A2 nozzle from heat-treated A2 tool steel with TwinClad XT plating, for abrasive filaments such as carbon fiber and metal-filled materials.[4] Its product and collection pages give different hardness figures, so we publish none, and neither page states a maximum temperature.[5]
- M2 high-speed steel (M2500-04). Micro Swiss states that this nozzle is hardened to 68 HRC and can operate up to 450 °C without losing hardness.[6] That is the material, not your printer: the hotend's heater, sensor, heat break and firmware set the usable limit.
Who should skip these
- Prusa MK4/S, MK3.9/S, XL and CORE One owners. Prusa groups those as Prusa Nozzle printers, not MK8.[7]
- Revo, FlowTech, K1 and other quick-swap hotends. These take their own nozzle systems.
- Anyone printing only PLA, PETG or ABS. E3D describes its brass V6 nozzles for standard non-abrasive printing such as PLA, PETG and ABS.[8]
Check the size before you buy: each link opens the 0.4 mm listing, and the same pages also offer 0.6 mm, 0.8 mm and a value pack. Nozzle changes on MK8 hotends follow the hotend maker's tightening instructions; see how tight a nozzle should be.
Questions
Do these nozzles fit a Prusa MK4 or a Bambu Lab printer?
No source says so. Both are MK8 nozzles, and Prusa groups the MK4/S with Prusa Nozzle printers, not MK8 or V6. Use only nozzles whose maker names your printer.[7]
Do hardened nozzles last forever with abrasive filament?
No maker we read claims that. E3D says materials with aggressive fillers can cause significant wear even on its ObXidian nozzles.[3]
Do I need to print hotter with a hardened nozzle?
There is no general rule. In one CNC Kitchen setup, an E3D hardened steel nozzle extruded noticeably less than brass only below 200 °C. Calibrate flow for your own nozzle and filament.[9]