Hand Drill that doesn't burn leather

[will ghormley]

From time to time I need to drill through leather.  Most often, my dremel tool is sufficient for the job.  However, when I braid-lace the cantles of saddles, (as I am doing today), the amount of leather that needs to be drilled through makes the bit hot enough to burn and discolor the leather.  Too many times I've wished I had the antique hand drill I used as a boy, (not that I'm antique!).  Today, I broke-down and got on the internet to find this hard-to-find drill.  I found it!  Even with shipping it is affordable.  I'm passing on the link in case anyone else has been looking for an old fashioned hand drill.

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/default.php?cPath=269_335

Will

[Irish Dave]

Will:

I have a couple of the old ones that I have picked up at yard sales etc. I don't use them often, but when they are needed, nothing beats the way they work, IMHO. Glad to see that some version is still being made.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I agree, Will, those hand drills are indispensible at times. I have my grandfather's originals which I use now and then.

[Buffalow Red]

what type of drill bit do you recomend to use in the hand drill

[will ghormley]

I haven't found the perfect bit for leather yet.  At first, I thought a real sharp bit would be best.  But that slices off a clean flap of leather that often has to be trimmed off.  It bores through nice, and you can control it with the hand drill, but it leaves a messy hole.  Dull bits leave cleaner holes, because they wear the surface of the leather away rather than cut cleanly through it.  But, it takes longer, is harder to start and creates more heat.  I may have to put on my jewlers lenses and hand file a small bit that has cutting blades at the ends like the larger wood boring bits.  However, at this point, I've got too many other things to waste my time on.  I guess PBS is looking for a saddle for Kit Carson.

Will

[outrider]

I have tried small dentist drill bits with some success.  They are more like minature rasps than they are drill bits.  Problem is they would probably not fit into a larger hand drill set up..but they fit fine into the dremel