What size hole to drill for certain size pins?

G

Grapevine

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Mar 5, 2002
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I want to try rehandling some of the knives I've bought and used so that they suit me better. I remember reading that one should drill a smaller hole in the handle material than the diameter of the pin that will go through it. Is there a certain size difference that's universal, like 1/64" less in diameter or something like that? Or does the difference change depending on the size of the pin, and what would be the formula to calculate that?

The pins that are currently on the knives I want to work on are at 1/8", 1/4", and 5/16" diameters. The handle materials I want to use are canvas micarta, un-stabilized walnut, and stabilized maple burl. The pins currently on the knives are stainless steel. I think I want to use micarta pins/rods to make it easier for me at the final surface finishing stage.
 
You should drill a hole that is the same diameter as the pin and glue it in there with epoxy, if the hole is smaller, then the handle material may crack or split while forcing the pins in. Cheers mate
 
Grapevine said:
I want to try rehandling some of the knives I've bought and used so that they suit me better. I remember reading that one should drill a smaller hole in the handle material than the diameter of the pin that will go through it. Is there a certain size difference that's universal, like 1/64" less in diameter or something like that? Or does the difference change depending on the size of the pin, and what would be the formula to calculate that?

The pins that are currently on the knives I want to work on are at 1/8", 1/4", and 5/16" diameters. The handle materials I want to use are canvas micarta, un-stabilized walnut, and stabilized maple burl. The pins currently on the knives are stainless steel. I think I want to use micarta pins/rods to make it easier for me at the final surface finishing stage.
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No, opposite of that.


Get a dial caliper and actually measure the pins.
https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-dial-caliper-63730.html

Find a decimal drill equivalent chart.
https://www.brokenbolt.com/images/starrett-inch-metric-tap-drill.pdf

You can't get a pin in the hole if they are the same size.

Use a drill size that's 0.002 or so larger than your measured pin size

If your 1/8 pin actually measures .125"

Drill with
# 30
.1285

That's the theory.
Do a test piece, some woods or materials close up after you drill them.

If you search old threads, I'm pretty sure I've typed this out a half a dozen times before.
 
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whatever you use, it should slide in with finger pressure. that way there is enough room for some epoxy, and you will not split the handle material like i see the guys on forged in fire doing :D if you get stuck and do not have the proper drill bit, put the pin in a drill chuck and pinch a piece of 220 grit around it while its spinning to thin it down.
 
Yes absolutely, the pin should slide in easily just by hand. Years ago I standardized all my pins at 1/8" and 1/4". So now all I buy are #30 and F bits as Tom mentioned.
 
12345678910 said:
Do a test piece, some woods or materials close up after you drill them.
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I count that as advantage . I drill exact size hole for pins but I make plenty notches on pins . And always I lightly pinned them before I sand them down....
 
john april said:
whatever you use, it should slide in with finger pressure. that way there is enough room for some epoxy, and you will not split the handle material like i see the guys on forged in fire doing :D if you get stuck and do not have the proper drill bit, put the pin in a drill chuck and pinch a piece of 220 grit around it while its spinning to thin it down.
Click to expand...

Exactly so.
I roll my pin stock against one of my grinding belts to make them fit, usually a 220 trizact.

The same drill bit can create an oversized hole in metal, and an undersized hole in wood/micarta. There's more spring in the softer materials. Typically a bit the same size as your pin stock will work fine in the tang, but be a bit tight in the handle material.

Don't pound in your pins like on FiF!!
 
Good Morning, Drill bits do not drill round holes. They drill ovoid shaped holes. In order to have a round hole for your pins, purchase the correct undersize drill bit and matching ream for that size hole. I have sets for 1/8 3/16 1/4 inch hole sets.
Doing this will produce perfectly "round" holes to match your perfectly "round" pins.

Fred
 
Get yourself a little index card of drill sizes....letter drills, number drills , fractional , metric all on the same chart is helpful to get exactly what you need.
 
Also, the hole through the tang should be about 25% larger than the pin. fora 1/8" pin drill the tang 3/16".
 
I also use #30 bits for 1/8" pin stock. The 1/8" brass rods I buy from the local borg stores would not go in a hole drilled with a 1/8" bit. I used to turn the brass pins down by hand with my cordless drill and sandpaper, checking every so often to make sure they fit perfectly and I didn't make the pins too thin. That was too much time spent, then I "got smart" and ordered a handful of #30 bits, and now 1/8" brass pins fit perfectly. For the tang, I drill 9/64" holes for 1/8" pins.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Also, the hole through the tang should be about 25% larger than the pin. fora 1/8" pin drill the tang 3/16".
Click to expand...

Fred.Rowe said:
Good Morning, Drill bits do not drill round holes. They drill ovoid shaped holes. In order to have a round hole for your pins, purchase the correct undersize drill bit and matching ream for that size hole. I have sets for 1/8 3/16 1/4 inch hole sets.
Doing this will produce perfectly "round" holes to match your perfectly "round" pins.

Fred
Click to expand...

I've never found either of these things necessary for a simple 3 piece knife. Lets not over-complicate and over-spend a simple straightforward project for these newer makers.

For an 1/8" pin, use a #30 bit in scales and tang. For a 3/16" pin, use a #11 bit. For a 1/4" pin, uwe a letter 'F' bit.

This will leave you with an easy slip fit with plenty of room for epoxy without being sloppy.
 
The difference is: drilling and reaming produces a round hole that the round pin will fit, where as, drilling with an under size bit, still produces an ovoid hole, with the pin crushing the narrow side of the hole in order to fit.
These "newer makers" if they stay and learn the many processes and techniques, will one day be seasoned makers, my hope is to pass along sound techniques that most seasoned makers make use of on a daily basis.

I've not found drilling a round hole overly complicated. I give that distinction to feather damascus or making my own steel in a hand built furnace.
Regards, Fred
 
The last part of your response sounds pretty condescending Fred. No need to talk down to me. The overcomplicated part was referencing recommending the OP buy a drill bit AND reamer for an operation that in no way requires it.

Perfectly round or not, an 1/8" pin will still not fit in an 1/8" hole.

There's a time and a place for reamers and perfectly round holes. Not sure a full tang blade and two scales is one of them.

If that floats your boat, fine. But its not doing a new maker any favors when he could buy a slightly oversized bit for way less then a drill/reamer combo and be done with it.

I own hundreds of drill bits and many reamers and am capable of high levels of precision. I wouldn't bust out my reamers for 3 piece knives.
 
Not condescending at all. I believe your post stated that what I was trying to teach, was overspending and overly complicated. Surely you don't think drilling and reaming a hole to the proper size and shape is overly complicated; it's the correct manner in which a round hole is made.
The teaching I have been involved in, no matter what the subject has always focused on teaching the correct technique and not whats quick.
Why teach an up and coming maker how to do something fast, instead of teaching them the correct manner? When they are drilling the pin hole in a thousand dollar bowie, it's no doubt going to be done using an undersize drill bit, followed by the correct sized ream.
How do you drill the holes in those beautiful Bowies you make? :)
J. please don't confuse straight forward speech that contains no obscenities with being condescending. It's not.
My interest is in the person wishing to learn. I'm going to teach with that person in mind, not another seasoned maker such as yourself. I'm sure there are many things we agree on, this is not one of those.

Best Regards, Fred
 
Drill bits manufactured using a roller-pressing process are black color and was good for rough work. Drill bits with silver color are made in different way , process involves cutting the helix from round bar .This bits are EXTREMELY precise .................... more precise then we will ever need for drilling hole in tang :D
 
Fred.Rowe Fred.Rowe are you using precision pin stock in that precision reamed hole?

I know the pin stock I get from suppliers is not precision round that needed a precision reamed hole to fit properly in.

Now if I was using precision dowel pin stock then I could see using a reamer to match a perfectly round hole to a perfectly round pin.

Typically I drill my hole for the pin stock and the epoxy fills in nicely. If the hole is noticeably oval to the naked eye then I throw that drill bit away and use a new one.
 
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