As I've now got the capacity to be able clean up blades on the buffer with greaseless compounds, I'm finding that I'm also having to repin the blades back in the scales. Up until now, I've pretty much used microfasteners and I like these because they are well priced and quick and easy to use.
I have however been looking at another option. I picked up some TI replacement pins not long ago that require peening. These work well and look good but are quite expensive. I like the idea of one side having a fixed flat top so you only peen one side. Looking at the TI kit, it's really just a flat nail, with 2 brass thrust washers and a captive washer.
So, I've now made up my own. I bought some galvanised small nails yesterday with a shaft diameter of 1.5mm which is the same as the TI ones. I've got plenty of the brass washers from old straights I've used as parts. The only thing missing was the captive washer. Thinking outside the box, I spent some time on ebay yesterday looking at a number of options and came up with these.
They are actually bead spacers for making jewellery. The hole has a diameter of 1.7mm which should be fine (hopefully) when it has the pin (nail) peened. They were cheap (300 for $6) and they will add a little decoration, to one side anyway. If I can find some rod the right size, I can then actually put these on both sides on some straights. Just a little bit of imaginative thinking.
I'll post up some pics when they arrive and see how they do.
I have however been looking at another option. I picked up some TI replacement pins not long ago that require peening. These work well and look good but are quite expensive. I like the idea of one side having a fixed flat top so you only peen one side. Looking at the TI kit, it's really just a flat nail, with 2 brass thrust washers and a captive washer.
So, I've now made up my own. I bought some galvanised small nails yesterday with a shaft diameter of 1.5mm which is the same as the TI ones. I've got plenty of the brass washers from old straights I've used as parts. The only thing missing was the captive washer. Thinking outside the box, I spent some time on ebay yesterday looking at a number of options and came up with these.
They are actually bead spacers for making jewellery. The hole has a diameter of 1.7mm which should be fine (hopefully) when it has the pin (nail) peened. They were cheap (300 for $6) and they will add a little decoration, to one side anyway. If I can find some rod the right size, I can then actually put these on both sides on some straights. Just a little bit of imaginative thinking.
I'll post up some pics when they arrive and see how they do.
