Home >> Hobbies >> Gemology

How to Drill a Hole in Petrified Shark Teeth

A petrified shark tooth has essentially been turned to stone. Uses of shark teeth are common for making jewelry, particularly shark-tooth necklaces which would require a hole or holes to be drilled so they could be attached to a chain. Since the tooth no longer has a typical tooth structure made of enamel, drilling requires the use of a specialized drill bit. Ideally, for the most precise holes, use a drill press.

Things You'll Need

Diamond tipped drill
Drill press
Clamp
Water source

Instructions

- 1
  Insert a diamond-tipped drill bit into the drill press chuck, size appropriate for your needs.
- 2
  Clamp a shark tooth to a drill press table. A C-clamp, spring clamp or other clamping device will work. Lower the drill bit to line up the exact place where you want to hole to be drilled. Clamp the tooth down securely when it has been properly lined up.
- 3
  Start the drill press and lower the bit gently onto the tooth. Allow it to drill for approximately 10 seconds, then raise the drill and rinse the drilled area with water. Use a spray bottle, eye dropper or other water source to both rinse and cool the tooth surface. Lower the bit again for 10 seconds, drill and raise. Rinse and repeat until a hole has been successfully drilled.

Gemology