Question about re-pinning

I bought some 1/16" brass rod at the hardware store & I'm attempting to re-pin. However, when I tap the pin with a hammer, instead of the ends mushrooming, the whole pin bends & the ends stay the same diameter. What's the trick? Is my brass wire too hard? It's soft enough to cut with wire cutters. Do I need to heat it< If so, how do I prevent the heat from ruining the scales?

Edit: never mind, I figured it out. The trick is to use many hundreds of light taps w/a ball peen hammer & go slow.

I was just going to say did you trim the wire sticking up on both ends.

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Originally Posted by Johnny J

I bought some 1/16" brass rod at the hardware store & I'm attempting to re-pin. However, when I tap the pin with a hammer, instead of the ends mushrooming, the whole pin bends & the ends stay the same diameter. What's the trick? Is my brass wire too hard? It's soft enough to cut with wire cutters. Do I need to heat it< If so, how do I prevent the heat from ruining the scales?

Edit: never mind, I figured it out. The trick is to use many hundreds of light taps w/a ball peen hammer & go slow.

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You probably are cutting the pins too long. You need very little material to form a head on the pin. Cut them close to the scales, then file the cut ends flat. Use light taps around the edges of the rod to start it mushrooming. Very, very light taps. You'll be surprised how light you can go.

It sounds like your brass is fine. The problem isn't that it's too hard--it's soft enough that you're bending it. :)

This is a common problem. More practice will get you there. :)

Josh