Making nice round peened heads

Hi,

Other than practice, are there any suggestions for making nice rounded peens. I've got a "sort of anvil" sanded flat and smooth with one divot drilled into it and I've used 100s of light taps with a 10.5 oz hammer. It looks good from arms length, but playing around in the light up close shows a bunch of hammer flats and lopsided peened heads.

Stanley Warrington Hammers - Lee Valley Tools

Should I exchange the hammer for a smaller one? Use even more, lighter taps? Drill a deeper divot?

What was your break through or just any general tips for this?

Thanks,

Mark

Up close, peens are never going to look perfect. I do mine on the narrow part of my anvil where I can move the razor around and rock it back and forth so I am tapping from many different angles. This prevents things from getting too one-sided.

Those hammers have a flat head, you'll want a ball head to peen the pins correctly.
I personally use a 2 oz jewelers hammer I got from a hobby store.

Tap lightly and go in circles around the edge of the head. Make sure the lip of the mushroom sits on the washer all the way around and polish the finished head with some 1000 grit sandpaper on the tip of your finger.

Looks like most of the "Tricks" have been mentioned, so the only thing I could add is..... I start with a flat pin head, I actually file it very carefully to exactly the height I want before the first hammer tap, that seems to be the one thing that helps get a nice looking finished product....

What is the exact height? I've tried about 2x the diameter of the brass rod (so 2/16") and that seemed to work ok.

:thinking: as with so much when it comes to razors, the "exact" height can be variable, like, are you using domed washers, then the exact height is almost completely flush, because you have washer flex, are the internal pivot washers brand new? that adds flex, are the scales going to flex outward, like they do on vintage razors, or did ya use a non taper wedge, this changes the amount of rod to peen....
There really is no "perfect" amount, in general the more flex I think is going to be in the razor itself, the closer I file the pin to the washer.....

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Originally Posted by 0o.Mark.o0

What is the exact height? I've tried about 2x the diameter of the brass rod (so 2/16") and that seemed to work ok.

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Wow, that's way too much. I do like Glen and file them almost flat (depending on the collar). We're talking 0.5 mm max. That's 500 microns for you abrasive nuts out there.
A good, small, peening hammer doesn't need a lot of material to make a secure and even rivet head.

I've had some luck with taking a 3/32" nail set, an inexpensive tool which has a concave dimple in the tip. I've used this with only finger manipulation and a few light taps on a very small jewelers peen hammer to dome the pin head a bit. I twist the nail set back and forth using my fingertips with some pressure and then some taps (while rolling the nail set between my thumb and index/middle finger). Some "dimples" on some cheap nail sets I've seen are not very smooth on the inside. I have one that is quite smooth.

Since there are many ways to skin this brass rod cat, I don't claim my way is any better than others already mentioned. In fact, I'm going to try some of these other ideas as well.

Chris L