Recent advances in the commercial exploitation of electrospark coatings have focused on improving surface roughness by depositing Ti, Mo, V, or W over an interlayer of Cu, Sn, Pb, or Cd on the top of a tool steel material. This paper presents results of a systematic pin-on-disk experimental study of different type bilayer coatings (Cu–Sn/bronze, bottom layer; Ti and Mo, top layer) deposited on a Type 45 steel. The results are discussed in terms of friction coefficients obtained under different dry-friction conditions (speeds ranging from 0.3m∕sto0.8m∕s, and pressures ranging from 10Nto40N). An additional focus is on scuffling resistance of faces in friction, microhardness and surface roughness of coated items, and the competitive advantage of using advanced surface coatings.