Drilling holes in an (inadvertently) heat treated blade. NOW A FOLLOW ON QUESTION!

Col Defender

Col Defender

Joined
Nov 11, 2011
Messages
1,398
Working with Damascus for the first time. I have a blank in the shop which I cut out and then heated to red hot (not orange and definitely not non-magnetic) in order to use my name stamp. All that worked OK as it has in the past with 1084. Yesterday I tried to drill 1/8 pin holes in it and really could not; even broke a 1/8" DeWalt bit trying. Guess I should have drilled first and heated/stamped later.

So can I save the blank? I will try to buy a new bit today, DeWalt to replace the broken one, but if I can find a carbide tipped bit will that work? I need the hole (it's the most forward one) in order to save the blank and move on.

Just as importantly, what did I do wrong? I was advised to use my stamp on a hot blade to get a better impression. Is "red" too hot? And what would be the correct sequence? Cut out, drill, heat, stamp and then start grinding and then heat treating is what I have come up with on my own so far.

I really don't want to toss this blank and (unfortunately) I have two others already heated and stamped.:mad:

BEEN IN THE SHOP TRYING TO DRILL THIS STUFF AND PART OF MY PROBLEM IS THAT IT IS SO HARD I CANNOT EVEN CENTER PUNCH IT. I SHARPEN MY CRAFTSMAN CENTER PUNCH, HIT IT ONE TIME AND IT IS DULL. IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A CARBIDE CENTER PUNCH? I WILL TRY TO GET A CARBIDE BIT ON MONDAY. THANKS AGAIN.

Thanks

Steve
 
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I use solid carbide bits. I got mine from McMaster-Carr. Pricey but they work! The carbide tipped ones I got from Lowes didn't work for me on hardened steel.
 
Carbide will drill it, but if you buy the cheap masonry bits you'll probably have to sharpen them first. The sharp-pointed Ryobi bits they sell at Home Depot work well enough if you're patient with them.
 
You can spring temper the handle with a torch and drill. Ive drilled tons of holes in spring tempered 52100 with normal HSS bits with little difficulty.
 
I've used the New England Carbide glass/masonry bits from Menard's to bore hardened VG-10 steel, and they work brilliantly. The quad-tip versions are especially effective. They generate no detectable heat, and they cut finely enough that there isn't a burr left upon entry or exit. The price is around $6-$7 per bit.
 
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