horn nocks

[warpath]

Is there a conical drill bit for drilling out horn nocks or did you guys make your own? If they do make them, where can I purchase one?

  G-Monee 

[peacefullymadewarbows]

As far as I know, we've all had to make our own. I have looked far and wide and have never seen a conical drill bit that would work for horn nocks before. Hopefully, you have access to a grinder. Then you just buy a set of cheap spade bits and take the wings off of them. You can make straight cones, or for a slightly more authentic shape (but harder to keep perfectly symmetrical) leave the cone shape ever so slightly domed as this was the shape of the cavity of the old Mary Rose horns. It's also in theory stronger in that shape. 12mm wide at the base by 40mm deep is the historically accurate dimension and also just a good guideline in general to keep tips large enough that they won't snap but also small enough to prevent a shocky bow and just unwieldy nocks by appearance. Hope this helps.

[warpath]

Thanks!! This helps a lot. I've got 2 good friends that are blacksmiths so I'll ask one of them if I can use their grinder. I'll get some spade bits this weekend. Think I'll stick with grinding them straight for now as this is my first time making my own horn nocks. I'll give the domed shape a try once I'm more confident. Thanks again!!! 

  G-Monee 

[Lehtis]

Conical Drill Bits exist and in different sizes. I have used such ones which can drill ca 14 mm hole and 3,5 - 4 cm long. A little bit patience needed when drilling horn. It is also useful first to drill an opening hole with 3-4 mm normal drill to ease the conical one´s penetration. This picture from the Internet is propably too big because it goes up to 26 mm.

[Pat B]

You can use a 1/2" spade bit ground to a triangular shape from the back corners to the point. I used one to drill the horn and trace the shape on the bow tips.

[DC]

The reground spade bit is the way I do it. I have a conical die for my die grinder but it just fills up because it's too fine. You need something more aggressive for horn. The hard part is trying to hang on to the tip while drilling it. If anyone has a tip for holding weird shapes I would appreciate it.

[Ringeck85]

Idea (please correct me if this would not work for some reason? I officially have not tried it, just thinking)

You could leave the outside horn piece somewhat roughened and squared (not rasped/filed to final form for a few mm) and just clamp it tightly in a vice at a convenient angle?  Then once you have the hole drilled roughly how you want it, check the fit, use a rat tail rasp or something else finer to get the shape just right to fit, and Then when the bow tip hole is shaped to your liking, you take the horn out of the vice and rasp/file to shape.

[meanewood]

I've found the best way to grip a horn tip in a vice is to use 2 pieces of balsa wood on each side and when tightening the vice the balsa crushes around the horn and forms a solid moulded grip.

[bownarra]

Just grind the sides flat

[DC]

Just grind the sides flat

Sometimes you have a piece of horn that just doesn't have enough meat to file flats into but it is big enough to make a tip.  I have 5 min epoxied pieces of wood to the sides to make flats.
The balsa sounds like a plan to try.
It's not just for ELB type horn tips. Just trying to cut horn for overlays can be tough. it's hard to get hold of.

[Del the cat]

Grind a flat drill bit, but IMO don't make it a straight sided cone, put a little curve onto it.
https://bowyersdiary.blogspot.com/2013/02/horn-nock-instructional-part-1.html
A conical bit gives a horrid "pencil sharper" effect IMO.
The Mary Rose bows show a smooth graceful curve at the tips where the nock was fitted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1VHUkDEGJA&list=PLBz2tD9476KQFyMBLEylQGh952tBT_mZB&index=9
Del

[bownarra]

Just grind the sides flat

Sometimes you have a piece of horn that just doesn't have enough meat to file flats into but it is big enough to make a tip.  I have 5 min epoxied pieces of wood to the sides to make flats.
The balsa sounds like a plan to try.
It's not just for ELB type horn tips. Just trying to cut horn for overlays can be tough. it's hard to get hold of.

Then as you say simply superglue a piece of pine on the sides and then grind that flat.
When you can't get hold of something properly - just stick something else to it so that you can
It you grind the sides flat then you get more horn to cut into whilst being able to minimize weight. But each to his own.  What do you mean by a 'horrid pencil sharpner effect'?

[Markus]

When I grind the spade bit I grind the edges slightly slanted so the leading edge cuts when rotating in the drill. Cuts much better than if the edge is at 90 degrees.