Making knot hole for wood handle?

[abies]

This maybe belongs on a woodcraft forum but I have access to some nice white oak that I feel bad about not using for something, and am thinking about making a wood handle for a shaving brush, freehand.

I realize the most straightforward way to make a knot hole is with a drill press using a forstner bit or something like that, but I was wondering if anyone here has set the hole in a handle using a different method? Without a press, there can be slippage, but maybe for some reason with a handle it's not that big of a deal if it's drilled before carving, or if people carve out knot holes or something.

I could get access to a drill press but it would be a bit fiddly for me and would be easier to go a different route.

 

[Lightcs1776]

I know some folks who would build a jig to hold a drill for making holes with a forstner bit. I don’t recall what they used but you might find something with a search on the Internet.

How To: Drill Straight 90° Holes (Without a Drill Press)

Drilling a straight hole is easy to accomplish with a drill press, but there are plenty of occasions when you need to use a hand drill/driver to complete the task.

www.bobvila.com

How to Successfully Use a Forstner Bit With a Portable Drill

Learn a handy woodworker tip that helps you keep a Forstner bit on track when drilling with a portable (handheld) drill, rather than a drill press.

www.thesprucecrafts.com

Or low priced commercially available jigs.

https://www.amazon.com/Rockler-JIG-IT®-Drill-Guide/dp/B001GT8EY8

 

[Rudy Vey]

I drill mine on the lathe with a carbide tipped Forstner drill bit.