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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2008 18:09:51 GMT
I am trying to drill out holes for my handle pegs and the steel is just too hard. I've tried many different types of bits and none will drill through it. Does anyone have any ideas for me plz?
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Post by swordboy bringer of chaos on Mar 18, 2008 18:30:28 GMT
tungstan/carbide bits and heavy oil at a slow drill speed use a constant spray with some thing like lithuim greese to prevent over heating
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2008 19:18:52 GMT
Swordboy is right on with this.
I have been known, however, to drill a smaller hole in the very center, using moderate speed. Then follow this up with larger bit, until the right size is achieved. Seems like this helps thru particularly tough steel.
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Post by swordboy bringer of chaos on Mar 18, 2008 19:35:33 GMT
thats what your soposed to do like va said drill a small guide hole and bore it out to the desired size ..... gotta love high school metal shop class
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Post by brotherbanzai on Mar 18, 2008 19:41:31 GMT
Have you already hardened the steel? It's pretty easy to drill high carbon steel before it's been hardened. If you haven't hardened it and it's just hard from forging, you could anneal it and then drill it before you heat treat it.
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slav
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Katsujin No Ken
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Post by slav on Mar 18, 2008 23:01:46 GMT
You drill Carbon Steel just like you drill any other steel. The difficulty lies in whether the steel is heat-treated or not.
Traditionally, a sword's tang is supposed to be annealed and soft (at least for katanas). But nowadays you are likely to run into plenty of swords with hardened tangs.
First, try a combination of what Swordboy and Vafarmer said: use a tungsten/carbide bit at slow speeds with lube, and drill an initial pilot hole that you expand upon. If you are using a hand-drill...forget it, you pretty much need a good drill-press for this.
If you try the above, and still make no headway...you might need to resort to annealing (softening) the tang. You can do this by basically using a blowtorch to heat the tang as hot as you can (preferably red hot) and then letting it air-cool. Make sure that you don't get too close to the blade during heating, because you wouldn't want to de-temper the cutting portion of the blade.
That's basically it.
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Post by Brendan Olszowy on Mar 19, 2008 0:04:44 GMT
Hardened steel can be very hard to drill. As Slavia said you MUST be using a drill press or forget it. Even then you may find that it MUST be a brand new drill bit as the tip on that is a better shape & sharper - buy the dearest one you can.
I don't necessarily recommend the pilot hole idea. It sounds like a good idea normally, but in hardened steel you'll find that when you move to the bigger size drill it puts all the pressure on only the ridge, and can soon put a big groove in the blade of the drill - try to drill it with the full sized bit first up.
Once you start a hole its hard to get a good bight on it again, expecially with a different drill bit. Once you have your drill press and your new Carbide / Cobalt bit maybe try a different hole position just next to the other hole - maybe 10mm away from it. Then hope to get a bight at the start and drill right through in one hit. Definately have it on a very slow speed setting.
I've been there mate, and spent hours to get one hole in a piece of hardened and tempered steel, and starting a new hole with a new bit the next day was the only thing that would get through it. I blunted new bits trying to get the first hole through. It just would not go. So frustrating!
Good Luck!
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Post by brotherbanzai on Mar 19, 2008 0:15:33 GMT
Also, if you go with the blowtorch on the tang idea, you can clamp the blade in a big steel vise at the end of the tang nearest the blade while you are heating it. Hopefully this will draw some heat away before it gets to the blade and ruins the temper.
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Post by Dan Davis on Mar 19, 2008 2:19:19 GMT
Get a solid carbide straight-flute drill bit, it should eat right through your steel. If it chips or dulls you can resharpen it using a diamond wheel, and you can sharpen them right down to the end of the flute (which you cannot do if you get the cheap "carbide-tipped" bits)
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Post by Brendan Olszowy on Mar 19, 2008 5:49:23 GMT
I wouldn't go the blow torch as it won't make any difference to the hardness unless you get it glowing, and it will increase the heat at the drill tip, possibly wrecking the temper of the drill.
End cutting milling bits are fierce too. They are all carbide and will probably set you back $25.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2008 17:33:50 GMT
wow thanks guys thats all very informative i was fortunate enough to get a hold of my friend who is a machinist and he milled the hole for me with his Uber drill press and fancy bits. but i will keep these ideas in mind for my other swords.
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