Thread: When Pins Cannot Be Tightened

Originally Posted by WW243

I could be wrong but before I ever set hammer to pin I tried to think what was I actually doing. This is what I came up with: I was shortening the pin thereby increasing the diameter. This increased the friction, pretty easy to visualize, just never had anyone tell me if it is right or not.

So are you saying peening increases the pin diameter that in turn tightens the blade by friction in the pivot hole?

Originally Posted by WW243

I could be wrong but before I ever set hammer to pin I tried to think what was I actually doing. This is what I came up with: I was shortening the pin thereby increasing the diameter. This increased the friction, pretty easy to visualize, just never had anyone tell me if it is right or not.

Actually or ideally, no. You should be peening the pin which means that the metal is being mushroomed at the ends only. This does shorten the pin, and there may be some "fattening" too, but this is what you are trying to avoid. The enhanced friction is provided by the mushroom head pressing onto the scales onto the tang.

tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap check tap tap tap tap ...

Try no to hit hard enough to "swell" the pin. Bent pins are a bit of a chore to get out, but are very easy to do when the hole in the blade becomes enlarged with moisture over the decades/centuries. Bushing is good!

Originally Posted by WadePatton

Actually or ideally, no. You should be peening the pin which means that the metal is being mushroomed at the ends only. This does shorten the pin, and there may be some "fattening" too, but this is what you are trying to avoid. The enhanced friction is provided by the mushroom head pressing onto the scales onto the tang.

tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap check tap tap tap tap ...

Try no to hit hard enough to "swell" the pin. Bent pins are a bit of a chore to get out, but are very easy to do when the hole in the blade becomes enlarged with moisture over the decades/centuries. Bushing is good!

agreed)))))))))))

Yes but if the pin is bent, as Pixel suggested, as you tap, it is working like a little spring and bouncing right back. Lots have bent pins!

Originally Posted by WW243

I could be wrong but before I ever set hammer to pin I tried to think what was I actually doing. This is what I came up with: I was shortening the pin thereby increasing the diameter. This increased the friction, pretty easy to visualize, just never had anyone tell me if it is right or not.

i think your explanation isn't super clear as i read it two ways.. 1) the pin (inside or outside? depending on what you mean) diameter was increasing friction 2) the shortening was increasing friction

visualizing what the goal is and the process. in my mind, you are trying to create the "rivet head" increasing that head diameter, while at the same time shortening the pin (becuase the rivet head you are creating) which creates the pressure , all the while not bending the pin.

i guess it make sense that you need to start with the right length of pinning material.. too long and it's likely gonna bend

edit
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didn't see the add'l info..

There are a ton of posts I know I have, that show the old pins coming out, you would be amazed at what they look like, they are little springs in there just like the guys are saying.

Like Wade described you are actually trying to create a Mushroom (peen) hitting the pin directly down is not the objective, the better the "Ball" is on your Ballpeen Hammer the easier this is to accomplish.. You want to actually strike off the dead center top of the pin and off the side center of the hammer to create the ideal peen which will tighten the razor..

If you watch the Vid I have up on Youtube I explain this way better and show the rolling motion and circular tapping much better..

The biggest problems for people starting off, is hitting too hard and hitting dead center..

just out of curiousity, i have been using brass pins, but when i see the niag pins (i think thats what they are) there typical much flatter and wider heads.. the brass usually aren't similar looking.. is that the difference because of softness? does that affect the pinning loosening after a while?

I take it back!

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

So are you saying peening increases the pin diameter that in turn tightens the blade by friction in the pivot hole?

My visualization was a good one, it just was not right. Anyway, the razor is around 160 years old and the pinning looks like the method used on ivory rather than horn, that is, there appears to be no collar or maybe over the years the collar was smashed into the pin....

Here is what I am talking about. Actually it does sort of look like there was a collar there at one time and it looks too big to be the ivory type of pinning....