rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
This afternoon I built up the courage to perform my first unpinning.
A few weeks ago I purchased a Cadman & Sons "Bengall" on fleaBay for about USD 30 including shipping. It was a dud. The blade had been heated in probably a gas flame and totally ruined the temper. The SR's Bakelite scales however, were in a reusable condition.
My available tools are limited, consisting of a small table vice, some jeweller's files, a 1.5mm pin punch and a very small ball hammer. I mounted the the SR in the vice, applied some insulation tape over the pivot pin and gently started to file the head of the pin. I quickly learnt that I had to take more care while filing so as not to score the scales.
It wasn't long before I had enough of the pivot pin head filed away that I thought it would easily punch through. I tried, again very gently, and it did. Success!
The pin pushed through one scale. I opened it up and was easily able to remove the blade which was binned. I was then able to tap the pin through the other scale to where I was able to just pull it all the way out with my fingers.
My filing effort did leave some slight scratch marks on one scale at the pivot pin. I used 1k and then 2k grit W&D to sand the scratches out and then polished it with Autosol. The result came up like new. I am not find of the smell of sanded Bakelite.
The newly polished area of the scales looked like new and nothing like the rest of the almost 100yo scales. This necessitated my to clean up all outside surfaces of the scales in a similar manner.
I still have some more sanding and polishing to do on the other side and a bit more around the edges on this first side but it is all coming along surprisingly well.
I currently have no use for these scales but will keek them in reserve, just in case.
I have some brass pinning materials and am waiting to receive some nickel ones in the mail. Now that I'm an unpinning "expert", I will next try it on my Puma ⅝ that needs restoring.
A few weeks ago I purchased a Cadman & Sons "Bengall" on fleaBay for about USD 30 including shipping. It was a dud. The blade had been heated in probably a gas flame and totally ruined the temper. The SR's Bakelite scales however, were in a reusable condition.
It wasn't long before I had enough of the pivot pin head filed away that I thought it would easily punch through. I tried, again very gently, and it did. Success!
The pin pushed through one scale. I opened it up and was easily able to remove the blade which was binned. I was then able to tap the pin through the other scale to where I was able to just pull it all the way out with my fingers.
My filing effort did leave some slight scratch marks on one scale at the pivot pin. I used 1k and then 2k grit W&D to sand the scratches out and then polished it with Autosol. The result came up like new. I am not find of the smell of sanded Bakelite.
The newly polished area of the scales looked like new and nothing like the rest of the almost 100yo scales. This necessitated my to clean up all outside surfaces of the scales in a similar manner.
I still have some more sanding and polishing to do on the other side and a bit more around the edges on this first side but it is all coming along surprisingly well.
I currently have no use for these scales but will keek them in reserve, just in case.
I have some brass pinning materials and am waiting to receive some nickel ones in the mail. Now that I'm an unpinning "expert", I will next try it on my Puma ⅝ that needs restoring.
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