Patent ID: 8714285

Claim:
A method for drilling a well bore, comprising the steps of: positioning a drill bit at an end of a tool string in the well bore, the drill bit comprising: a shank; a bit body attached to the shank, the bit body having a working surface that comprises at least one blade for engaging a formation, the at least one blade extending away from the working surface; at least one cutting element attached to the at least one blade, the cutting element comprising: a superhard material that comprises: a central axis; a first side wall; a second side wall; an apex at which the first side wall and the second side wall intersect to form an included angle; the first side wall, the second side wall, and the apex forming a substantially pointed geometry that in cross-section comprises a diameter between a transition where a curvature of the apex tangentially meets the first side wall and the second side wall, the curvature being bounded within the first side wall and the second side wall; a cemented metal carbide substrate bonded to the superhard material at a non-planar interface; applying at least one of a weight and a torque to the drill bit while drilling; and using the curvature of the apex of the at least one cutting element to penetrate and fail the formation in compression ahead of the at least one cutting element while drilling.