Pin question

Thank You Guys
Every one has such great ideas.
I will post the finished product when it is complete.

Never had any luck drilling out a pin. I take them to a 220 grit one inch strip sander and just touch the pin to the belt. I sand the peen off then use a 1/16 punch and a piece of wood that I cut a 1/8 dado into. I put the pin over the dado cut so the scale has support just above and below the pin to try avoiding cracking the scale. Then gently tap with my finishing hammer to push the pin through. Once it has gone through about 1/16 of an inch, there is enough of the pin sticking out the other side to grab with a pair of pliers. Then I just pull it out.

There is a lot of great advice here. For me, I found that drilling the pins was the best way because I was always breaking scales. But the people here know a lot more about this than I do. But, I have filed them off surrounding the pins with tape and then punched them out, but the rill press or had drill is easier for me.
Good Luck