drilling steel

[Mrquinn 106]

Guys ime stuck on how to drill a hole in a knife blade is ther a certain drillbit I shuld be using obviously not a wood or concrete bit but a certian type of steele bit I seen a vid on utube he says driLl slow and add oil but I still can't seem to get it I think I ruined the first bit by going to fast but I have tried with diffrent sizes and can't seem to make a hole in the blade I am barely even marking it its a made In china stainless steel any tips whuld be grate. Or advice cheers lads

[irishnut 297]

knife blade is made from hardened steel, so try using a cobalt bit, go real slow (going to fast will cause the bit to slip on the surface and not cut, creating more heat, causing the steel to harden further), use plenty of coolant or thin oil.

[tomano1 80]

Use a normal steel drill bit as they are carbon treated for strength but depends on the the size of hole try using a smaller drill bit then the one u won't for finished hole as said use oil as it will keep the bit sharp as using it dry will just blunt your tip ATB no1

[paulus 26]

Use a normal steel drill bit as they are carbon treated for strength but depends on the the size of hole try using a smaller drill bit then the one u won't for finished hole as said use oil as it will keep the bit sharp as using it dry will just blunt your tip ATB no1

he wouldnt want a blunt tip now would he

[billybaltic 308]

Make sure of plenty of oil around the hole.

[midnight 657]

i promice yopu wont do it mate , beleave me i have tried , you will need to aneal the steel . most steel that means get it so hot its no longer magnetic then cool useing wood ashes or leave it in the forge with doors shut and let it cool from critical (none magnetic ) to room temp over as long a periode as possible , i aim for over 8 hours or more to aneal mine . then you can drill it , but you will need to heat treat and temper all over again !!!

 

i would get a dremel and the carbide bits or diamond if i could get them , tape the blade and gently work my way through with the carbide . if it gets to hot you will ruin the temper and the blade will soften and loose its edge holding ability . so cool regularly with tap water by putting the blade in a cup of it . once cooled again begiong dremeling .

it wont be pretty tho and id want to know my handle scale where going to cover the mess .

good luck with it mr .

 

it dont matter what drill bits you sue if its heat treated metal you wont cut it , its why we use it in industry so much . tungstone , cobalt iv tried all of them and nothing can cope , unless its anealed then even a £1 cheap standard drill bit will cut through it like butter !!

crazy science this metaloligie in it ?

[darkie 143]

get a thick nail ,cut the head off put it in a drill ,preferably a drill press,centre dot the work then drill and drill till you get bored ,the area you want to drill will get very hot but realitively locally this will hopefully soften the metal to some degree without later heat treating the whole blade.sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt.some one handy with a plasma cutter could pierce a very small hole.

[Mrquinn 106]

Cheers lads I will have to get sum new drill bits now I ruiend the others I think midnight when u get round to doing me a few blanks can I have them pre drilled lol

[Mrquinn 106]

The holes are for the pins on the handle so they don't have to be massive am just practising on 2 shit blades to be ready for the damascus

[irishnut 297]

nobody would harden the steel in the handle area, i believe you may have a box of bad/poor quality drill bits.

[carpentermark 21]

Get the most expensive 'cobalt' bit you can mate.

Ive just drilled over 200 7mm holes in 3mm stainless and only used 3 drill bits.'

[pothunter 33]

you have work harden the metal around the hole, you could do some of the above or try a masonry bit sharpened on a green grit wheel drill slow and keep coolant on and it should work or if you know someone who works in a good toolroom get the holes sparked out on a spark erroder it does not matter how hard your blade is it will spark it out and not ruin your hardness as it is done in a bath of oil.

[paulus 26]

you have work harden the metal around the hole, you could do some of the above or try a masonry bit sharpened on a green grit wheel drill slow and keep coolant on and it should work or if you know someone who works in a good toolroom get the holes sparked out on a spark erroder it does not matter how hard your blade is it will spark it out and not ruin your hardness as it is done in a bath of oil.

best way

[Mrquinn 106]

nah dont work bought a drill bit for a tenner today best they sold bareley made a dent init

[GruffaloGriff 1,858]

I jut blow a hole through with a plasma cutter but appreciate not everyone has acess to one. If is the handle then heat it red hot and let it cool. Drill it slow in a drill press and lube with oil. This can eisily be done whit standard HSS bits now it has been anealed. If you heat up the blade area as already said it will need heat treated again.