[futuresoptions]

So things have settled down around here enough for me to get the shop organized to a point to where I can start turning out knives again. I had recently got an order from a customer who wanted 7 knives made up so that they could be handed out in time for Christmas. I ordered me some virgin HR5160 steel and began designing and shaping out the blades. During this process, I came across a knife that I had cut out of an old Argentinian machete. Now my intentions were to make a knife for myself out of this cutout because it was a very durable blade, would keep a great edge and had minimal rust issues.

Now fast forward, I goofed up and heat treated my customers knives before drilling my pin/lanyard holes in the handle... No big deal, I bust out a new cobalt drill bit, drilled slow, with plenty of oil and I managed to get all 28 holes drilled.

Now in the meantime, I decided that I would go ahead and put that Argentinian cutout together and do some kind of giveaway here on Pelican prior to Christmas. Good intentions right? Lol, I just drilled 28 holes through 3/16" heat treated 5160 steel with very little problems. I just needed to make four holes in this Argentinian steel that is between 1/16 -1/8" thick. Should be a cake walk right? Well, 20 drill bits later I still do not have a single hole through this metal. I tried high carbon bits, titanium bits, cobalt bits and nothing has worked. I tried high speed, low speed, lots of pressure and little to no pressure. With oil, without oil. I started with small bits and tried to move up to bigger bits, even the small bits would not penetrate. I even got the bright idea of spot annealing the areas that I needed to drill just to try and soften the areas to no avail. I give up... seriously... I am tired...