Thread: Gunsmithing advice re HSS milling bits

Can anyone tell me if you are able to grind HSS milling bits to change their length or profile ?

I'm wanting a 3/8th 60 degree HSS dovetail cutter for opening up an existing front sight dovetail to take a larger 3/8th sight base.
Closest thing I can find is this 10mm one

https://www.carbidenz.co.nz/dovetail...-10mm-hss.html

Wondering if you could grind a little off the bottom then the shoulder width would come in a little from 10mm to 3/8th"

Or even better would there be someone out there that actually has a 3/8th dovetail cutter mill ?
And no Robbie at Gunworks doesn't have one as nice little things like that just get wrecked in a working gunsmiths shop.

Cheers

If you know what you are doing you could grind it down, it would take a while and ud need to make sure you gring back in relief on the bottom. Its not easy, if you have not ground hss lathe or milling tips before I wouldnt attempt it.

Perhaps open it up yourself using a dovetail file??

maybe easier to file the foresight.

There is a couple of companys in Nelson who could precision grind it for you.....its been a long day in the sun/on the beers so names escape me at the moment but tag me in the morning.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

There is a couple of companys in Nelson who could precision grind it for you.....its been a long day in the sun/on the beers so names escape me at the moment but tag me in the morning.

Give these guys a ring, we use them for sharpening of annular cutters etc but I am pretty sure they could reshape to your requirements.

https://yellow.co.nz/y/checkmate-pre...ing-annesbrook

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Give these guys a ring, we use them for sharpening of annular cutters etc but I am pretty sure they could reshape to your requirements.

https://yellow.co.nz/y/checkmate-pre...ing-annesbrook

Thanks for that.
Following up multiple leads now

Get a good 3-square (triangular for non-engineers) file and grind one side smooth. It will open out dozens of dovetails in a fraction of the time and a fraction of the price. Failing that, Brownells can sell you a cutter for less than the cost of grinding.

Originally Posted by gundoc

Get a good 3-square (triangular for non-engineers) file and grind one side smooth. It will open out dozens of dovetails in a fraction of the time and a fraction of the price. Failing that, Brownells can sell you a cutter for less than the cost of grinding.

Yep I would definitely use a file if it was me working on my rifle.

I might get Robbie to mill down the middle to the correct depth and then file to fit with triangular file as suggested.

Originally Posted by akaroa1

I might get Robbie to mill down the middle to the correct depth and then file to fit with triangular file as suggested.

Just take it to the correct width and depth with a few careful hacksaw cuts and the edge of a flat file.