Hello to All,

I have several hidden tang blades that I need to drill/file out for the tang. Can anyone recommend a good set of small files or rasps to enlarge the opening?

Thanks,

John

I've never found an easy way to do this.  If you are working with wood and you have a large handle you might try "burning" the handle in.  I generally try to do a pilot hole and two smaller holes then work them together.  If working with smaller sections a dremmel is great.  Sectioning and stacking makes things go easier but generally should be done for the bolt through style.

I use a broach I made from some of Aldo's 1084. It's based broadly on one of Bruce Bump's. I left it full hard. There's a thread on knifedogs where he has some good pictures. I've actually been meaning to modify mine but it works better than anything else (files, chisels, etc.) that I've tried.

I step drill or use a smith made taper drill and then melt in the final fit.

I drill a guide hole, and use small chain saw type files and needle files to get the fit.

This resembles the sort of tool I use, but when lucky one can find it with a 2,5 to 3mm wide blade, and ripcut teeth.
It can also be ground from a jigsaw blade, preferably a pure ripcut one since a crosscut or universal grind will chatter and washboard, but it will be rather narrow unless you stack two or three side by side.
I guess the proper english name for it would be "a small pull side float".
http://www.skinnlaaven.no/prod/HULLRASP_630530/Borr-og-filer_75445/NOR/NOK