First attempt at a Damascus

[bigelow]

Bought the billet from a web site. Can’t complain it was advertised as 100 layer 1095/15n20. Hardest material
I ever encountered. Hammering wasn’t bad but drillling the holes took 16 drill bits!


Ironwood handle

 

[Buck70]

sweet

 

[Anvil Head]

Drilling that combination of steels is an adventure until you figure it out. Doesn't normalize (soften) like you'd think. Try heating it up to cherry red then air cool by waving around or holding in front of a fan. If you cool too slow the steel mix will harden back up to a point that makes it hard to drill.
Use a good center punch to test drill spot. If dent is slight or shallow repeat the heat process. If nice and deep it's ready to drill, use a fresh bit and some cutting oil. Should drill out fine.

Nice turn out on the knife, but sure can get expensive with drill bits burning out. Learn to resharpen them the minute they stop cutting and before they squeal, you won't friction burn the hardness out of them and get several more holes per bit.

 

[bigelow]

Drilling that combination of steels is an adventure until you figure it out. Doesn't normalize (soften) like you'd think. Try heating it up to cherry red then air cool by waving around or holding in front of a fan. If you cool too slow the steel mix will harden back up to a point that makes it hard to drill.
Use a good center punch to test drill spot. If dent is slight or shallow repeat the heat process. If nice and deep it's ready to drill, use a fresh bit and some cutting oil. Should drill out fine.

Nice turn out on the knife, but sure can get expensive with drill bits burning out. Learn to resharpen them the minute they stop cutting and before they squeal, you won't friction burn the hardness out of them and get several more holes per bit.

Thanks for the tip. It was insane hard and I tempered 3 cycles to get it less brittle. This edge should last a long time!!

 

[Anvil Head]

No problem, some of the littlest things make this craft so much easier once you figure them out.
Should be a fine knife for someone.

 

[Jester896]

would carbide tip bits drill it

 

[bigelow]

would carbide tip bits drill it

It did make quick work out of the next one

 

[Jester896]

that is what I use to drill Rockwell C60 plate