High Speed Steel Hand Taps are used to make new threads or re-thread damaged and or jammed threads. Hand Taps are the most versatile taps for hand use and they are popular for use in general machine tapping. Appropriate for tapping the vast majority of materials in through or blind holed conditions. Hand Taps come in three styles Taper, Plug or Bottoming Taper Style: Starts the thread square with the workpiece. Plug Style: Generally used in thru holes. Bottom Style: Generate the thread to the bottom of the hole. A tap set contains 1 taper, 1 plug and 1 bottoming tap.