Looking for DIY Milling Help (putting a slot in brass)

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ddan7

Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Messages
5
I want to put a brass bolster on my next knife. I've got a reasonable selection of tools but no end mill...

I would like to know how the amature's mill a slot in brass for a knife. To me, drilling a bunch of holes and filing out the middle seems like a reasonable approach but the tang is less than an 1/8" thick and I'm not sure they make files that small.

Any thoughts?
 
Find a old automotive point file. Or grind the side off a chain saw file 1/8 to make it fit the slot. You would have two safe sides and cut on sides that need to be removed between the webbing.
 
I have a paint scraper (putty knife)that I have ground down lengthwise till it is 1/2" (give or take, whatever width you need) wide, looks like a super thin flat file with a fat handle. Anyhow I spray glue strips of 120 grit paper to one side (or both, whatever works) and use that to get in where miniature files cannot after I gut out all of the holes into one ragged slot with the dremel cutoff wheel. Works pretty well if you take your time, the handle is a whole lot more comfortable than an actual file and handle. I take my time and hold the tool on both sides to minimize flexing. Works nice.

The one I cut down was a 2" non flexible model. I think might be this model. You need one of the stiff ones cause the flexible ones are probably all over the place after you take it down to what width you need.

http://www.epaintstore.com/hyde-02300-2-stiff_putty-knife.html
 
You could get a pack of hobbie files from lowes or home depot. They are like a 1/16" thick. I'm usually against cheap files however brass will fill a file pretty fast so I buy the much cheaper husky brand ($10) and only use them for brass. I buy nicholson brand ($20) for everything else. I don't have a mill either but I use a file guide to get my lines pretty darn straight. I drill the holes as mentioned then use a dremal cut off wheel to connect the dots. When filing take off a little at a time fit it then take off a little more. It takes me about 10 or so times of fitting to get it near perfect. Take your time. If you get the gap wrong scrap it and start over. Use that piece for a thicker blade later. When I look at a custom knife that is the first place I look for gaps. Good luck!
 
I have Drilled holes and then reamed it out with a dremel with a little carbide burr, thats if I can't get the cutting disk in there. And yeah a points file works to expand/true it up, I have also wanted to grind down the point on a small triangular file but never have.
 
I used to drill with a small bit, then up the size to take part of the web out between the holes then use needle files to file to size. It works, but is time consuming. One trick I saw was to use a chisel to make a floating center punch line, that way all the holes will line up. I used to use a center punch and even with a scribed line it didn't always line everything up like I wanted. The fastest way is a mill, but it allows you to screw up quickly too, including breaking expensive bits.
 
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