Bob La Londe on Tue, 26 May 2020 12:02:56 -0700
typed in rec.crafts.metalworking the following:
On 5/26/2020 8:38 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
"Bob La Londe" wrote in message ...
I've had decent luck with the cobalt drills from HF as well, but to be
fair I've had ok luck with their cheaper drills as well.

==============================

In steel?


Yes. Although that's so broad its not really a question. 1018 isn't
much harder than aluminum, and I'd challenge any steel drill to punch
holes in harder alloys for very long without burning up. (I do have
some carbide drills, but I mostly use them for aluminum.)

On a project making 304 stainless steel pens (multiples) a couple years
ago I was able to drill out more bodies per sharpening with Precision
than with HF drills, but out of the box the HF was sharp and the
Precision Twist Drill just rubbed.

The HF would drill about 3 bodies (both halves) and the Precision would
drill 6-10 (both halves) before needing to be resharpened. Yes, better
drills are better, but a properly ground drill actually drills.

As a friend says "Technique can matter more than tool quality."

In this case "cheap sharp drills are better than expensive dull
ones."

OT3H, I've look at some Henry Taylor carving gouges, but they are
shipped "blunt". As in "first you'll have to finish the bevel, then
sharpen the edge, then hone it." Which I kind of sort of can do with
chisels, but on curved gouges? Not sure I could do that without a lot
of learning curve.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."