Thread: wapi with wood scales loose pins

I am having trouble getting the pins tight on my wapi that has been re-scaled with wood. They just seem to get looser and looser and I can not get them tight no matter what I try. I have been using a ball peen hammer and a large hammer for an anvil. The pins are so loose it is hard to strop without fear of cutting the strop or dulling the blade. Is there anything I can do to get these pins tight? Could it be that the wood scales have something to do with it?

Without pictures and not knowing what kind of wood, it is hard to tell. I surmise that the wood has either compacted, or the pivot pin was a 1/32nd too long. It needs to be repined and bushing put in if your getting a lot of slop in the movement. I would ask the person who did the rescale originally to check it out. If that's not feasible, a simple re-pin is a quick, easy and inexpensive task for those that know how.

Hammering away at a too long a pin will cause it to lay over and you stand a good chance of splitting the scale and at a minimum cause the alignment of the blade to scale to go off and it will not close without hitting the side of the scale.

So other then that, what's the problem?

I bought the razor with the scales already on it a while back. I don't even remember who I got it from. I do not know the kind of wood but I recall reading a while back somebody having troubles with their wapienica in wood scales. Something like it was a common problem with the type of wood or something.

you could try replacing those with adjustable pins.

That sounds like something I might like to try to do myself. I have never re-pinned a razor. Do you think I should give it a try on a razor with scales I want to use? I have a dremmel and can buy the cutting disk and the pins washers, bushings, etc. I would like to learn how to do this anyways.


Any assistance?

OK correct me if I'm wrong here, but I seem to remember that Wapi's need a sleeved pin set up, because of the oversize pivot hole..... This possibly could be the problem, either the razor wasn't sleeved, or even sleeved incorrectly.... Me personally haven't ever popped Wapi pins since I just did the Brake rotor look to mine, by drilling out the scales but that is what I seem to recall hearing....

Listen to gssixgun as he has more experiance than I do. And Philadelph a good guy to talk to about adjustable pins.

Originally Posted by matt

That sounds like something I might like to try to do myself. I have never re-pinned a razor. Do you think I should give it a try on a razor with scales I want to use? I have a dremmel and can buy the cutting disk and the pins washers, bushings, etc. I would like to learn how to do this anyways.


Any assistance?

Go for it. You can get supplies from Micro fasteners http://www.microfasteners.com/.

Under washers you need #0 brass washers. http://www.microfasteners.com/catalo...cts/WASFWB.cfm

For pins you need 1/16 brass rod
For the sleeve you need 3/32 brass tubing. http://www.metalliferous.com/images/BMC1120.pdf

A full service hobby shop might have the items at 500% more.

I would suggest highly you get Bill Ellis's CD on restoring to learn how to modify tools to do the pin making.

No problem, its easy.