I am looking for recommendations for tools for pinning and unpinning razors. Also, sources of good scales seem hard to find.
I use a 1/16" sheet of brass from the hobby shop. Drill a hole the size of the washer and lay it across the scales. You can file off the old mushroom without damage to the scales. After filing, I can usually just pull the scales apart. No chance of scale damage.
I use flush cutters for unpinning, but you do have to be very, very careful to avoid damage to the scales. I try to cut the mushroom off the backing washer rather than cut the washer off the scales. I'm considering getting the ball cutter Dremel bit to "drill" pins. But that has it's own drawbacks.
For pinning I use a large jeweler's anvil and a 2oz hammer.
Everything came from Amazon.
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They come in different sizes and cutters like above and grinders (Si-carbide).
I just drill out the pin.
For repinning, I drilled a tiny indent on the corner of the anvil part of my vice, and center the pin in that as i tappa-tappa with a very light (and very polished) ball peen hammer