A cutting head (20, 120) rotatable about a first axis in a first direction of rotation, and comprising: a cap portion having a plurality of N cutting portions circumferentially alternating with a plurality of N head chip flutes, and a head base surface facing in an axial rearward direction; and a rigid mounting protuberance joined to the cap portion and extending axially rearwardly from the head base surface, the mounting protuberance exhibiting N-fold rotational symmetry about the first axis, and a plurality of N circumferentially spaced apart convex clamping surfaces, each clamping surface bisected by a radial clamping bisector plane containing the first axis, wherein: the plurality of cutting portions define a cutting diameter corresponding to a cutting circle, in a cross-section taken in a first plane perpendicular to the first axis and intersecting the cap portion, the plurality of N head chip flutes are inscribed by an imaginary first circle having a first diameter at a plurality of N radially innermost head flute points, and in a cross-section taken in a second plane perpendicular to the first axis and intersecting the mounting protuberance, the plurality of N clamping surfaces are circumscribed by an imaginary second circle having a second diameter, and wherein: the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, the second diameter is less than forty percent of the cutting diameter, characterized in that each cutting portion comprises a cutting edge formed at the intersection of an axially forward facing leading surface and a circumferentially adjacent and rotationally forward head chip flute, the cutting edge extending in a direction transverse to the first axis. a cap portion having a plurality of N cutting portions circumferentially alternating with a plurality of N head chip flutes, and a head base surface facing in an axial rearward direction; and a rigid mounting protuberance joined to the cap portion and extending axially rearwardly from the head base surface, the mounting protuberance exhibiting N-fold rotational symmetry about the first axis, and a plurality of N circumferentially spaced apart convex clamping surfaces, each clamping surface bisected by a radial clamping bisector plane containing the first axis, wherein: the plurality of cutting portions define a cutting diameter corresponding to a cutting circle, in a cross-section taken in a first plane perpendicular to the first axis and intersecting the cap portion, the plurality of N head chip flutes are inscribed by an imaginary first circle having a first diameter at a plurality of N radially innermost head flute points, and in a cross-section taken in a second plane perpendicular to the first axis and intersecting the mounting protuberance, the plurality of N clamping surfaces are circumscribed by an imaginary second circle having a second diameter, and wherein: the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, the second diameter is less than forty percent of the cutting diameter, characterized in that each cutting portion comprises a cutting edge formed at the intersection of an axially forward facing leading surface and a circumferentially adjacent and rotationally forward head chip flute, the cutting edge extending in a direction transverse to the first axis. the plurality of cutting portions define a cutting diameter corresponding to a cutting circle, in a cross-section taken in a first plane perpendicular to the first axis and intersecting the cap portion, the plurality of N head chip flutes are inscribed by an imaginary first circle having a first diameter at a plurality of N radially innermost head flute points, and in a cross-section taken in a second plane perpendicular to the first axis and intersecting the mounting protuberance, the plurality of N clamping surfaces are circumscribed by an imaginary second circle having a second diameter, and wherein: the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, the second diameter is less than forty percent of the cutting diameter, characterized in that each cutting portion comprises a cutting edge formed at the intersection of an axially forward facing leading surface and a circumferentially adjacent and rotationally forward head chip flute, the cutting edge extending in a direction transverse to the first axis. the first diameter is greater than the second diameter, the second diameter is less than forty percent of the cutting diameter, characterized in that each cutting portion comprises a cutting edge formed at the intersection of an axially forward facing leading surface and a circumferentially adjacent and rotationally forward head chip flute, the cutting edge extending in a direction transverse to the first axis.