removing name plates

[Tony Wells]

If you're planning on doing a full-on paint job, you could carefully heat them, being careful not to damage the plate. If the plate is a silkscreen job this won't work without damage. For thicker plated, with a small flame, you can bring the rivets to a high enough temperature to soften them a bit.
If you drill with carbide, be mindful of the brittle nature of it. And yes, they have to be hardened to work the way they are intended.