Thread: How to tighten pins?

I have a dovo super bismark with a loose pin. It is a rivet style pin, i have read that you can just tap it to make it tighter but thought I would ask before I begin to " tap" the pin together. What is the prefered tools and it has plastic scales which aren't the best but still would hate to crack them! Thanks

Get a 4oz ballpeen hammer. I paid $4 for mine on amazon. If you are worried about marring the scales, put a sheet of paper between the pin and hammer. Alternately put some electrical tape over the pin before going to work.

Dovo's have a solid pin on one side, a washer/pin on the other. Make sure you look at the pin closely. Tapping on the solid side will not do any good. Use a small ball peen hammer, tap lightly, dont miss and put the razor on a steel surface. Tapping on a pin while the other side is on somthing soft, like wood, will not do much good.

I just did my Dovo this weekend. I reviewed the restoration section of Lynn's video. I took it very easy and the pin tightened. I could perform a few more taps, but I am worried about my fumble fingers breaking something. The tightness I achieved is fine for now.

+1 on the ballpeen go easy and check your process as you hammer and make sure you hammer the side with the washer. Easy!!!

Thanks very good info! Didn't think to look for hard side and washer side of pin!

If you don't want to purchase a ballpeen, you can use a soup spoon.

I have heard that. But I was always confused because for me it isn't so much the shape that is important, but the weight. For my first set of scales I actually used the hammer side of the ballpeen, I just needed something light enough that I wouldn't smash my beautiful walnut scales to bits!

In the Wiki you will find an illustrated guide to pins that I did and an actual vid that Alex did....

Be sure to track back to the original threads as many questions are asked and answered in there...