I've found the best drill bits for SAK pins and they're CHEAP

[TomThumb]

I've been struggling to drill out SAK pins cleanly. At first I was using some cheap 'titanium coated' eBay 2.2 / 2.5mm bits but they were grinding away the pins instead of drilling, producing a lot of dust and the tips were moving all over the place.

I found these on Ali Express:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001887869534.html

You can get both 2.2mm and 2.5mm bits delivered for $5. Go for the "65" option, blue coloured.

They'll take a while to arrive but if you spend over $10 they'll come in a week or two. Maybe grab two sets, or add a 3mm to handle 93mm pins.

I used them today for the first time to drill out a set of pins and the difference is night and day! Lovely curls of metal coming off, like a knife through butter. First time I've managed a completely undamaged set of bushings. If you're just starting out like me, they're highly recommended.

In theory they have a hardness of HRC 65 so should be able to drill through the blades as well (HRC 52-53) but I haven't tried that yet.

[ThisAlarm7]

Good to know thanks!

[tattoosteve99]

Here’s a good tip. Use a center drill to start the hole. It may seem redundant but it’s worth for people trying to save the rivets

[TomThumb]

Here’s a good tip. Use a center drill to start the hole. It may seem redundant but it’s worth for people trying to save the rivets

Thanks! I use a center punch to get started but the bit still walks sometimes. I've tried to find a self-centering bit large enough to accommodate the bushings, but no luck so far. All the self-centering bits have a maximum opening of 3-4mm and I need >5.2mm