FORM OF DIRECTOR INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

EXHIBIT 10.28

INDEMNITY AGREEMENT

     This Indemnification Agreement (“Agreement”) is made as of ___, ___by and between Smith International, Inc. a Delaware corporation, and ___(“Indemnitee”).

RECITALS

     WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the corporation.

     WHEREAS, the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Restated Bylaws of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company, and Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”).

     WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities.

     WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons.

     WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future.

     WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified.

     WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Restated Bylaws of the Company and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto and any liability insurance, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.

     WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the protection available under the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Restated Bylaws and insurance as adequate in the present circumstances, and may not be willing to serve as an officer or director without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he be so indemnified;

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

     1.  Services to the Company. Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve, at the will of the Company, as an officer, director or key employee of the Company for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or until Indemnitee tenders his resignation; however, this Agreement shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments or the parties, if any.

     2. Definitions. As used in this Agreement

     (a) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:

(i)

The acquisition by any Person of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of either (A) the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company

			Common Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (a), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (i) any acquisition directly from the Company, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company or (iv) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of subsection (c) of this definition; or
	(ii)		Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or
	(iii)		Consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar transaction involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each, a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or
	(iv)		Approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

     (b) “Company” shall mean Smith International, Inc. and its successors, and shall include, in the case of any merger or consolidation, in addition to the resulting corporation and surviving corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in such consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees, trustees, fiduciaries or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, trustee, fiduciary or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee. trustee, fiduciary or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint

venture, trust employee benefit program or other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

     (c) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, employee, agent, trustee or fiduciary of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership or joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.

     (d) “Disinterested Director” means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

     (e) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent, trustee or fiduciary.

     (f) “Expenses” shall mean all retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, private investigators, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, fax transmission charges, secretarial services, delivery service fees, reasonable attorneys’ fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding or in connection with seeking indemnification under this Agreement. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.

     (g) “Losses” shall mean all loss, liability, judgments, damages, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties, interest, assessments, other charges or, with respect to an employee benefit plan, excise taxes or penalties assessed with respect thereto.

     (h) Reference to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee, trustee, fiduciary or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, trustee, fiduciary or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to under applicable law.

     (i) “Person” means an individual, entity, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, association, joint stock company, trust, joint venture, unincorporated organization, and a governmental entity or any department agency or political subdivision thereof.

     (j) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, including any and all appeals, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature and whether formal or informal, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of or relating to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent, trustee or fiduciary of the Company, by reason of or relating to any action taken by him or of any action on his part while acting as director, officer, employee, agent, trustee or fiduciary of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any Loss or Expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement, including one initiated by a Indemnitee to enforce his rights under this Agreement.

     (k) “Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of relevant corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to

matters concerning the Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses and Losses arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

     (l) For purposes of Sections 3 and 4, the meaning of the phrase “to the fullest extent permitted by law” shall include, but not be limited to:

	A.		to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL or any section that replaces or succeeds Section 145 with respect to such matters of the DGCL, and
	B.		to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers, directors, employees, agents, trustees, fiduciaries and other persons acting or serving at the Company’s request.

     3.  Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was or is, or was or is threatened to be made, a party to or a witness or participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses and Losses to the fullest extent permitted under law.

     4.  Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was or is, or was or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses and Losses actually and reasonably incurred or suffered by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein to the fullest extent permitted under law. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.

     5.  Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter and any claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which the Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

     6.  Indemnification For Expenses of a Witness. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.

     7.  Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee.

     (a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy or other indemnity provision; or

     (b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as

     amended, or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or

     (c) in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee prior to a Change of Control against the Company or its directors, officers, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board of Directors of the Company authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation, or (ii) the Company provides indemnif