Quote Originally Posted by PaulFLUS View Post
Some things to master with pinning:
1)use a light hammer, tap lightly more times, as a rule of thumb tap no harder than you can tap your knuckle.

2) make sure the pin is just long enough. If it is too long it will bend. This can cause cracks or breaks and can make the scales offset and the blade not center well. Rule of thumb here is cut the top side with a pair of side cutters as close to the collar as possible. It should just barely stick up above the collar. It will seem too short but, believe it or not, that is the right length.

3)some people peen one side first and cut the other side. I have a pinning block with a pin sized hole that the pin just fits in, pin the other side, then flip, cut the excess and peen the second side. Either way works well but the first way conserves a hair more of the pin stock.
Good eyesight and hand coordination always helps a great deal. How do I know this? I have ruined a scale or two, maybe three, by not paying attention and visually lining up things. I get in a hurry.