I grind my own bits. But then I have worked in metal and wood all my life. The folks at PIMO are super ! They are honest to the extreme and the service is amazing.
POWER TOOLS! All kidding aside it is a whole lot easier to deal with hardwoods if you use modern tools. Even early on most pipes were shaped on a lathe initially. A pole lathe is a real experience to operate.
A properly sharpened reshaped spade will cut a glass smooth chamber in briar and you don't have the flat bottomed hole that a Bradpoint or Forstner gives you. Some guys drill partway with a forstner and finish up with the spade to get the nicely rounded bottom. I just chuck that baby up in the lathe and watch the shavings foll out of the bowl.
Ace,if you don't have a lathe a drill press will do the job quite nicely provided you get the block lined up right. Drill press is what I use even though I have a small lathe. Don't have the right chuck yet to do it in the lathe.