drilling a hardened frizzen? How?

[nekshot]

I am attempting to fix a flintlock. Needs a frizzen and the one I have needs the hole drilled for fastening to lock plate. This puppy is hardened out the gizoooo, now what can I do? Must or can I anneal the part that gets drilled and not effect the frizzen for sparking?

[LAGS]

You can use Heat stop paste on the Sparking area, ( Be Generous ) and a heat sink between the part to be drilled and the tempered part of the Frizzen.
I take it , the part you have to drill is at the end of the frizzen.
Heck, we weld bolt handles on bolt action rifles or even heat up and forge the bolt handles without damaging the heat treatment on the bolt lugs or body.
A Heat sink can be made out of some steel plates clamped on either side if the area you want to protect from Heat Transfer.
Heat stop paste is available from Brownell's
I have used these methods for protecting hardened steel many times.
You also do not have to heat up the part to be drilled to Cherry Red.

You also can wrap the tempered part of the frizzen with a Wet Rag while the end is being heated.
But it is not as effective as the heat stop paste, unless you can keep the cloth wet continuously.

[Moleman-]

M42 cobalt might work depending on how hard it is or a carbide bit will work in a mill or drill press but needs to be ridged for the carbide.

[Ozark mike]

Usually the frizzen is forged hole is poked then hardened. I know they make kits where you drill it yourself but I think all hardened parts ought to be finished. At any rate cobalt bits are your best bet

[edp2k]

Masonary bits have carbide tips, and are inexpensive.

[LAGS]

What size hole do you have to drill.
Generally Masonry bits are not that small, and the points are not all that accurate to the size of the hole they make.
But they are hard and some will drill thru hardened rebar.

[RED BEAR]

You are whistling in the wind trying to use masonry bit. I would suggest a carbide center drill from both sides followed by a carbide drill you can get though dome pretty hard stuff that way. I will hope you at least have access to a drill press run slow and take your time and keep plenty of water on piece while drilling if you are unable to keep water or coolant on part and drill then use none.

[nekshot]

Thanks every one. I am out of heat stop paste and need to get more and I will get some good drill bits at same time.

[LAGS]

@ nekshot
If I was doing this project, I would start with trying to Drill the part first before trying to Annealing the frizzen.
If that doesn't work, then go to the more extreme of annealing the part.
Buy your heat stop paste, and a couple of drill bits.
Use the one bit first, and if that doesn't work, anneal the part and use the new spare bit.
Always Plan ahead. It saves time and shipping costs.

[Idz]

If the hole doesn't need to be accurate the teardrop shaped carbide glass drills will work. The parts and drill must be solidly clamped or the drill will shatter.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

A good carbide center or spotting drill to start then a carbide drill to continue, lots of cutting fluid and a low speed, a solid set-up clamped on a drill press or mill-drill is best.

[gnoahhh]

...and if you "defrost" the striking surface of the frizzen it's no big deal to re-harden it.

[RU shooter]

Call around and find a shop with a waterjet . No heat to worry about and will be a 5 minute job with 4.95 minutes being the set up and clamping the part in a fixture .

[RED BEAR]

Is this a part on an original arm that you want to keep as original as possible? Or are you just trying to fix a rifle you have. Any machine shop should be able to drill a hole for you but you may not like the cost. If an original this maybe an option. If just a rifle you can buy a new part a lot cheaper than having machine work done. In fact most shops have a minimum you may be able to buy a new gun for a shops minimum charge.

[country gent]

Roughly what size hole do you need to drill? a carbide drill will drill it. This isn't a job for eye and handrill. A solid set up in a drill press ( some cheap drill presses may not be up to the task either). Better would be to drill slightly under sized and ream to finished size. Annealing may or may not get to where you want to be as some steels don't draw back easily. I would try to anneal holding it at a dull blue for awhile then slowly lowering temp. Heat stop paste or stand up in a pan of water with just the part to be annealed sticking out. Don't tip over into water just slowly lower temp. ( Im assuming your doing this with a torch here)
Masonry drills while carbide tipped arnt ground for steel and don't cut to a reliable size. A carbide spade drill cut to size and is sharpened correctly but in an existing hoke may want to grab and bind. A carbide twist drill will do well and cut to size. Carbide hates vibration and interrupted cuts. either will chip the cutting edges quickly. A solid set up in a heavy drill press or better a mill.

[skeettx]

Take a carbon rod, I got mine for "C" cell batteries
12 volt battery
jumper cables.
Sharpen the carbon rod like a pencil
Using the battery and cable, heat the SPOT to be drilled
with the electric current.
Once cooled, drill the spot
Mike

[nekshot]

The piece is a new after mkt frizzen. I will use mill to drill.

[country gent]

In the mill if an carbide ned mill ( center cutting) of the right size is available, they do a good job cutting thru hardened steel and being short they don't wander as much.