nickel silver work-hardening?

NickWheeler

NickWheeler

Joined
Dec 3, 1999
Messages
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I've only used nickel silver once, and that was about 5 years ago...

I normally stick with 416, but a guy begged me to use it (you'd have to ask him why).

Anyway, I ground the blade, fit the guard, and was drilling the pin holes when.... I broke a cobalt bit off in the stuff. Then I drilled it out with a carbide bit. Then when I went to drill the rest of the way through the carbide bit broke. How can this be when the stuff is so soft you can scratch it with your fingernail? It's hard now and nothing will drill it. What can I do?

I really don't want to throw this piece in the trash as it took me forever to file the guard slot with my filing jig (for a seamless, solder-free joint).

Also, I couldn't find what the feed-rates are for this stuff either. Can somebody just give me an rpm you use to drill it?

Thanks guys, I'm a little frustrated right now :(

Nick
 
I can't believe that it would be as bad as you say. Are you sure it is nickel silver? It should be an off silver color with a yellowish look. It almost sounds like you are working on a piece of 316 s.s. If you heat work hardened nickel silver bright red and let it cool slowly you should soften it some.Don't forget to use a cutting fluid of some kind when drilling. I hope this helps-- it sure isn't great stuff work with, and yet it was very popular several years ago. I guess not to many people were using 416 or 304 s.s. Frank
 
Now you know why I didn't like nickel silver over Brass for years..:D :D
Now to fix your problem just take a torch and heat the piece to red and quench in water real quick.That iis how you soften non ferrous metals like brass,copper,nickel silver,gold silver anyof those.Now when you drill the hole drill slower and don't feed the bit very fast and keep bouncing the bit as you get very deep.The stuff is gummy when you work it,I have found that copper is even worse for doing this.
Just anneal it and drill again...
Bruce
 
I'm sure Bruce is right with the quick dip in water-- I haven't used that for a long time. Boy I sure can forget things in a hurry. Frank
 
He's right Frank. If you handload a really neat trick to keep the case splitting down is after a few firings, stand the cases in a cake-pan with enough water to cover 3/4 of the case. Go along with a propane torch and heat to red and tip them into the water as you go. Softens them right up...seems backwards doesn't it.

Nick, I think aluminum, copper, nickel silver and lead have broken more drill bits than all the hardened steel on earth.
 
Thanks guys, I will try to anneal it and see how that goes.

I wouldn't believe it could be as bad as it is either, had it not happened to me.

Bruce, I am now marking nickel silver off of that list I wrote you and leaving you with 416, 303, High carbon, and damascus! :D

This is nickel silver, I bought it 5 years ago when I made my dad's hunting knife. The customer wanted the exact same thing.... I told him I could make it with 416 and that it would look just as nice but be more resilient but he wanted nickel silver. Oh well, another learning experience!

Thanks guys!!! :)
Nick
 
When making these antique style knives with the full metal sheath and the tip and throat sheaths you remember this real quick.Because it bend around the form if it isn't dead soft.The best thing is to find out if it is annealed when you get it,I usually just anneal it anyway just to make sure.I have bought some that would dull a good metal cutting bandsaw blade in a hurry without annaeling it first.I have also busted a lot of drill bits in it and copper,I think the bits just grab it and bite easier so they jam real fast...
Bruce
 
Well, I just couldn't make it work. There's one clean hole in that nickel silver guard and one partial hole with part of a cobalt bit and part of a 1/16" punch stuck in it.

I carefully set it down, took a few deep breaths and started over with a chunk of 416. This guard fits, is drilled/reamed, and now all the filework is done also... so chalk that one up for a frustrating learning endeavor. :)

Never-the-less, thank you all very much for the help...I love this place!

Nick
 
Nick,If you can go up to a 1/8 inch bit and not be to big for your slot,what I do is put a carbide cutter in the dremal tool and slowly start cutting the web between the two holes out by hand.The fast cut of the dremal tool and by starting at a angle and carving the nickel silver out I usually save the piece.The stuff is to expensive to waste.Excpecialy since your customer wanted the NS not the stainless,Got to keep them happy you know..:D :D :D
Just a idea..
Bruce
 
I am in the middle of making my first knife,I have be praticing
with making bolsters from nickle silver,I am having no problem with it
the only problem I had is the pin after working it done left a slight
spot were it was,I found out why I was not cleaning the pin before working it.I use cool tool when drilling and I have had no problem
and I only own one 1/8 drill bit.I hope I am not biting of more than I can chew when it comes to fit and finish with my first knife.time will tell.;)
 
Way to go Zodiac,The little spot around the pin may be that you just didn't get the pin flared enough,you got to squish it not just dome it over.I used to have that problem also and I found that I was doming to much with out enough straight on squishing,When you are peening scales you have to be allot carefuller about the squish than on the metal bolster as they wont crack,just squish it in the hole real good then clean it off.Hope this helps..
You havent bit off more than you can chew if you are that far on the knife,Way to go...
Bruce:cool:
 
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