Harvey's menus

Are you using a drill Press? I have used off the shelf High Speed Steel bits to drill steels like D2 and all manor of stainless steel including ATS34 so you shouldn't be having any problems with Carbon Steel.

O1 may be the worst steel to drill that I've experienced, 5160 and L6 are not much better. If you're going to be using these steels on a regular basis, carbide bits might be a good investment. Go slow and light, and use lots of cutting fluid.

Harvey's locations

You could always put the blade in water and soften the tang with a torch, but might not be doable depending on your goal.

Thanks GEzell, I think that pretty much answered it, I've got the steps to drilling holes down years ago in machining class, but I think the main problem was the cutting speed and the lack of cooling fluid. I had just gotten the drill press and was excited about it and started playing with it on the setting it came in, which was the middle setting, but I had already worn out the bit before I realized to change it to the slowest setting. Plus I only dipped the bit in oil once before starting. The steels I was drilling at the time were o1 and 1095. I got another of the cobalt bits to try angain yesterday but this time I'm just going to take it slower and easier and see where that gets me. If that still goes dull too fast I'm just going to have to order some carbide ones, I just hate ordering things. Thanks for the advise fellas!

Harvey's Poutine

You may want to go over and hang out at somebodies shop and see if your missing a step in the process as its pretty hard to guess about without watching you work.

I've tried about everything I can find locally and just can't get a drill bit that will cut through tangs and whatnot very efficiently or at all. I finally got a drill press which helped a lot, also found a cobalt bit near here and with the 2 I was finally able to drill a couple of holes for pins in some of the knives I'm working on and then it just stopped, can't get it to cut for crap anymore and I thought I was finally on a roll. I've heard carbide bits will do the trick but I can only find them for masonry. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Harvey's breakfast

Keokee Books is an imprint of Keokee Co. Publishing, Inc. in Sandpoint, Idaho. Keokee has been publishing "good books about our place in the world" since 1990.

If you decide to get carbides, I would recommend that you get straight fluted bits. They are much more durable than the twisted ones.

Something else that works for me when you get the hole started then it stops cutting. Make a small punch with a 4-sided point, and punch inside the hole with it. for some reason, it helps the bit grab better, enough to finish the hole...

Harvey's near me

Going back and reading your original post, you may want to find yourself a good drill bit sharpener. There are a few real good ones I have seen lately come onto the market.

Harvey's menu with prices

George Ezell, bladesmith" How much useful knowledge is lost by the scattered forms in which it is ushered to the world! How many solitary students spend half their lives in making discoveries which had been perfected a century before their time, for want of a condensed exhibition of what is known."Buffonview some of my work

Tangs should never be hard, not in my experience anyway. The softer the tang the less likely it is to crack or shatter during hard use. If your tangs are hard you may want to look into your heat treat and tempering.

Harvey's coupons

I asked a similar question years ago, and was informed I needed to learn to sharpen drill bits... For 1/8th inch and up, its not that difficult, anything smaller it tough to get right. Also, it sounds like your steel is still somewhat hard. If a standard anneal doesn't do the job, try a sub-critical anneal. Basically you heat it up to just under critical, hold for a minute, then let it cool. It amounts to a very high tempering cycle, and is really good for L6, o1, and other deep-hardening steels that tend to air harden in thin sections.

I have used this afternoon a carbide drill bit to enlarge a hole in the tang of a hardened stainless steel kitchen knife. They work very well for about everything!

In an alternate Sandpoint where the TV station is KRAP and the favorite watering hole is Harvey's Place at Lost Cat Mountain Resort, the eccentric locals mix with a barrage of conventioneers who descend on them from "elsewhere."

If your chipping off the tips of your edge and breaking bits your probably trying to drill to fast. If they are dulling up then you may need to work harder to keep the bit cool.

Harvey's Place is a hands-on educational film production under the direction of Northwest Film Institute. Scores of area residents were involved on both sides of the camera, and dozens of businesses and individuals contributed financially.