I have read and watched (on youtube) almost everything about how to pin a razor but I have not been able to do it right. I tried with gentle tapping, just as advised but the pin would not secure that way. When I look at Alex Jacques's video it seems so straight forward. Some gentle taps and the blade would fix. That's what I was attempting to do but light tapping just wouldn't do the job and I have to use brute force. Result is, that the pins are bent in the middle and would still not fix properly. Now, I do probably not have the right tools for it. I have no ball point hammer (just ordered one some days agot) and tried with a flat hammer. For pins I used small brass nails (to hard perhaps?). Just ordered some pins that are basically a brass rod and washers. What am I doing wrong? Or is it just the material? Is that ball pointed hammer really necessary? What about brass? Are nails too hard?
Pinning and peening
- Thread starter Thomas Martin
- Start date
When pinning all you are trying to do is dent the head of the pin with each tap and all of those little dents eventually turn into mushroom that will spread and tighten. it takes hundreds of tap tap tap to pin a razor. If you are bending the pin your hammer is too heavy and/or your swinging too hard. 2-4oz is ideal for peening hammer weight. Also yes the rounded ball head is necessary to help shape the pin and cause the dents that add up to a nicely pinned razor. WidgetSupply sells hammers for $5-$6 that do a wonderful job. Also it may help to anneal your pins before starting too. Heat the end of each side of the pin til it lightly glows and let it cool slowly before using. it will be cool in a couple moments and that will soften the metal and make it a bit easier.
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At the risk of derailing this thread, one of the razors I got as part of a lot turned out to be (probably) a cheap pakistani blade in very nice horn scales. The razor would not hold an edge. I never really got how that could be until I tried to hone this razor and it just kept crumbling no matter what I did, but now I know the phenomena when I see it.
Anyway, the scales were excellent even if the blade was trash and so I went about unpinning them. Good grief. These were the hardest pins I'd ever dealt with. My flush cutters are probably ruined because of those damn pins. If the blade were as hard as the pins, it might have held a decent edge.
Anyway, the scales were excellent even if the blade was trash and so I went about unpinning them. Good grief. These were the hardest pins I'd ever dealt with. My flush cutters are probably ruined because of those damn pins. If the blade were as hard as the pins, it might have held a decent edge.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks for the link. I've already consulted this threat. Like I said. I was unable to do it right until now despite all the stuff I read about it. But perhaps the equipment and hardware I ordered will change that. I'll keep you posted.
I'm betting that a brass nail is way harder than a length of brass rod. It would have to be, or it would bend when you are driving it into wood. I'm sure you will have an easier time with some rod stock.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
My favorite hammer for peening pins is not a hammer. It is a tablespoon. For more weight you can stick a small wad of epoxy putty or picture hanging putty in the spoon. Whack it sharply with something light, and you will get better edge deformation and less pin bending than gently tapping with something heavy. 2oz is a good weight. Be patient. Takes at least a couple hundred whacks per end. I often go 500 or more but it goes pretty quick.
I put tape on the scales, for a little extra protection. Make sure you got daylight all around the bottom end of the pin, between scales and anvil. It is easy to put a dent in the bottom scale.
I put tape on the scales, for a little extra protection. Make sure you got daylight all around the bottom end of the pin, between scales and anvil. It is easy to put a dent in the bottom scale.
I have used tablespoons as well and they do make excellent peening tools!
I use a 2 oz ball peen hammer to do my peening. One factor in arriving at a finished surface is the condition of the tool being used to do the round over. This is why some individuals do so well using things like a spoon to hammer on. If you have a hammer already, take the time to sand and polish the ball part to a shiny finish. In fact once you get that finish, do it again until it looks like you want the brass to look. Once you have that completed, you are ready to use it for peening. Oh yeah, don't use that hammer for anything else----EVER!
