Boring through heat treated 5160

M

mckishen

Joined
Jun 9, 2006
Messages
26
did a quick search, can't find anything...

Is it advisable to bore through heat treated steel (in this case, 5160). I've got a 1/4" thk 5160 full tang blade and I want to bore through the material beneath the scales to lighten it and change the center point of balance. Will this damage the blade in regard to the factory heat treat, and am I going to eat up all of my cobalt bits in the process? thanks in advance
 
thanks guys. I used to purchase them for the CNC router I programmed. gulp, not looking forward to the expense!
 
Yo can also soften the tang with a torch until you can drill through it with conventional drill bits. The tang does not need to be hard.
 
The best bits for what you want to do are "HiRoc" bits, a solid-carbide straight flute. You'll pay about $12 for a single bit, but used carefully it will last a hella long time!
 
How precise do your holes need to be? An inexpensive masonary bit will work if precision is not needed. If you do need an accurate hole size then the straight flute carbide bits are a good bet. You need to be careful with the carbide bits as they are somewhat brittle. If you are boring through the scales you should use a different bit for them,
 
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