Annealing stainless steel

I need to drill some 1mm holes in a stainless steel watch bracelet clasp, exact grade unknown but of Russian origin.

Didn't get very far with the first hole and wondered if it can be annealed? and thought I'd ask before turning it all black! (although it could be cleaned up)

Alan

Hi Alan,

If it is austenitic stainless steel you should be able to anneal it by heating but you need a high temperature and then quench. When drilling stainless steel socalled Cobalt drills may be useful and don't let the drill rub. It need to be cutting all the time.

Thor

Try it with a file. It is unlikely to be the expensive high CR austenitic when cutlery grade would do and in most applications be better.

Keep the speed of the drill dead slow and only use sharp ones. Maybe you could get some carbide drills.

I believe austenitic ss is non magnetic.

Sounds like a job for a spark eroder. Not too difficult to make, see **LINK**

Thanks for your replies.

I have attempted to drill (slowly) and it would appear to work harden very quickly.

The existing holes present would appear to have been punched, shall have another attempt with a shorter drill this time as I broke the first!.

If it isn't austenitic s/s and I heated it to those high temperatures followed by a quench could that turn it harder/more brittle?

Alan

If the stainless steel is martensitic that would harden the steel. If it is martensitic cool slowly. I would try with a HSS cobalt drill, a short one is less likely to break. Try a higher speed and more aggressive feed and use coolant.

Thor

Edited By Thor on 01/07/2019 06:22:23

Carbide burr in a Dremel tool.