[TheForge] Drilling hard metal

[Grant Marcoux]

Andy:  The L-6 likely does not want to be drilled because of the Molybdenum
found in that grade.  The Mo makes it slightly air hardening. It would be
more so if the volume of Mo were higher. I use a fair amount of L-6 for
blades myself and the slowest possible cooling rate is helpful.  Also, drill
bits will not always bite into the layer of scale formed on the piece.  I
slow cool, pickle to remove scale, punch mark my hole location, start with a
pilot hole and then use my desired final size bit. Also, make sure your bits
are sharp and use a lubricant...I use mineral oil.  Grant

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Ron Childers
Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 7:48 AM
To: 'Sponsored by ABANA'
Subject: RE: [TheForge] Drilling hard metal


Andy, try a masonry bit. A Paragon furnace will drop the temperature
incrementally; it should be soft enough to drill. Also, you might try
putting the blade in vermiculite with a piece of larger & hotter steel.
Leave it overnight.

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gladish Family
Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 10:15 AM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Re: Bricks- Light vs heavy

This is interesting, because I've made a few pretty nice knives with L6
and 1095, basically a forged sandwich with the bread being L6 and the
baloney 1095. The big problem I have is drilling rivet holes through the
L6. IS there a way to anneal it enough that you can drill it? Nothing
I've tried so far gets it soft enough to drill, and punching is an
inferior method for this, I think.

Andy G.



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