Drilling blades for pins

D

Dave Bowen

Joined
Feb 12, 2007
Messages
155
Does drilling the blade for pins, before heat treating, make a difference in the final integrity of the blade, or should they be drilled after HT and tempering?
 
Rob! said:
They will be almost impossible to drill after heat treat.

Rob!
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Well, I'm using carbide bits on them, but it's still very difficult. Especially when they get dull. I wanted to drill while annealed, but I was told not to.

I was just wondering how you guys drill yours, and if you have had any problems drilling before HT.

Oh, and I'm using 1050 steel, brought to non magnetic for about a minute or so, then triple water quenched. By triple, I mean it's briefly submerged, brought out for about 3-4 sec, re-submerged, same, and left under the third time. Then put in an oven for 3 hours at 425. (Don't know if this makes any difference or not)

Thanks for the response Rob! :thumbup:
 
Thank you guys.
I'm quickly finding out there are a hell of alot of things I thought I knew about knifemaking. :o

This information will make my life a little easier.
 
I drill my pin holes after I heat treat. Either do selective hardening or submerge the blade in water and run a torch over the tang to soften it a little. It will work well using the 1050 and like steels.

Fred
 
JCaswell said:
I can't think of a single reason to drill those holes after HT.:confused:
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If you are making hidden tang knives as I do, drilling your holes after the ht is
sometimes expedient. I set my guards after the blade has been ht so as not to drive the guard onto annealed steel. I follow that up with the ferule and the handle then the pins. Now you know someone who drills their holes after heat treat.

Fred
 
Fred has a point. If you are pinning a hidden tang, the tang doesn't get hardened so it quite efficient to drill near final assembly. When I suggested not drilling after heat treat, I was suggesting not to try drilling a hardened part. :) .... and no, I've never had a problem drilling annealed steel - quite the contrary. It is advisable to deburr (chamfer?)the hole before heat treat.

Rob!
 
For full tang knives I drill before HT but like Fred says on hidden tang knives the pin holes on the tang cant be located until the guard is set in place. Hidden tang knives have a soft tang so its easy to drill without expensive carbide bits. BTW Im talking about forged blades not stainless steel which are fully hardened tangs.
 
That makes sense. I was referring to forged full tang knives, but I also make hidden tang so another bit of good info.
If I may ask another related question, wouldn't silver soldering a guard onto a HT blade take some hardness out of the blade? How do you prevent, or recover from this process?
 
I drill before and chamfer the holes, occasionally I'll drill after heat treat and again chamfer the holes. I often drill the tang holes slightly oversize and let the epoxy fill the difference. I'll soften the tangs with a torch on Carbon steel blades when I do a soft back draw on the blade...Take Care...Ed
 
Dave Bowen said:
That makes sense. I was referring to forged full tang knives, but I also make hidden tang so another bit of good info.
If I may ask another related question, wouldn't silver soldering a guard onto a HT blade take some hardness out of the blade? How do you prevent, or recover from this process?
Click to expand...

silver solder like Stay-Brite is a low temp solder and won't otherwise hose up the temper, unless you do it wrong :) One trick is to wrap the sharp and pointy parts in a damp cloth while you solder like the wind. It works great!
 
Fred.Rowe said:
If you are making hidden tang knives as I do, drilling your holes after the ht is
sometimes expedient. I set my guards after the blade has been ht so as not to drive the guard onto annealed steel. I follow that up with the ferule and the handle then the pins. Now you know someone who drills their holes after heat treat.

Fred
Click to expand...

OK, now I can think of one scenario to drill after HT .... It's been a very long time since I've done a hidden tang knife.:)
 
Somethings to do before Heat Treat.

1. Cut out blade
2. Drill all holes
3. Do all Mill work of need.
4. Stamp your name if using a Stamp Press.
__________________________
Hope this was of help to you. Have a great and safe day in the shop.

Barkes:thumbup:
When I leave this world I would like to be known by the one who make his knives from start to finish.

http://my.hsonline.net/wizard/TerryBarkesKnives.htm
http://my.hsonline.net/wizard
 
I appreciate all the advice. I sure dreaded drilling future blades, but this makes me very happy. lol

Now if I can just avoid having to grind all that darn scale off.... Seems like I get the blade just how I want it, and I screw it up getting the scale off. lol

Guess that's life in the shop.

Thanks again.

Dave
 
All work is done prior to HT. After HT the only work I do is clean up the blade, put a finish on it, and put the handles together.
 
I drill prior to HT because I use Stainless, it makes hitting the hole a real challenge for hidden tangs, but I been doing it many years. Have I screwed up a few handles....yea one or two:)
 
If you have the money you can drill them after hardening with carbides but a 3/16" carbide is about 15 dollars plus or minus before shipping most places.

1/8" is slightly less but if you have used them you know they can shatter also. I end up using them quite a bit for a lot of the type work I do rebuilding old or even new FRN folders for people or when I fix one that has blade play in it from a worn pin but when I make a blade from scratch I drill before heat treat.

STR
 
Dave Bowen said:
I appreciate all the advice. I sure dreaded drilling future blades, but this makes me very happy. lol

Now if I can just avoid having to grind all that darn scale off.... Seems like I get the blade just how I want it, and I screw it up getting the scale off. lol

Guess that's life in the shop.

Thanks again.

Dave
Click to expand...

Dave, There is a product called PBC from Brownells that will keep the blade scale-free when heat treating. It allows you to get the blade to as close as a 400 grit finish before HT and will rinse off with water after quenching. Good stuff.
 
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