Thread: copper wire for pins??

Originally Posted by turbine712

Having worked in the Orthotic?Prosthetic Industry for over 20 yrs. We used copper rivets to fasten metal and straps to braces and artificial limbs. I don't see why not. The only thing would be to be able to find that type of copper ( the strength was stronger than wire) in 1/16th inch. You could use 1/8th inch just the hole would be larger.

Agreed, the prosthetic arms I tried to use as a youngster (never got the hang of it, it actually slowed me down) had copper rivets not only holding straps and braces but the elbow position release mechanism in place as well. They never oxidized to the best of my recollection.

I have used copper on all my scales. I'm not sure the size but made to fit the tang hole -not exactly the "right way" I suppose without washers etc to boot/

I bought an ounce of pure copper for the heck of it a couple years ago...still looks the same in regards to the oxidation though. I'm sure it would work just fine for anything but a pivot pin. One guy on here made a set of scales out of some copper pipe & they looked really cool...

With my imited experience with copper wire (25 +/- yrs) I find this interesting. Copper wire can be just like any other metals as to how they are processed.
In standard building wiring most solid and stranded copper wiring is what is considered "soft drawn" wire. For outdoor arial / overhead distribution wiring, it is considered "hard drawn" wire.
Not knowing the physical properties between the 2 types, I do know the "field" differences. Particularily, if you tried to use a soft drawn wire in an arial application, it would sag on hot days and tighten up on cooler days. Basic expansion and contraction properties. With a hard drawn copper, not as much expansion / contraction occurs.
Hard drawn copper would be optimum for such pins, But I have not seen any smaller than 8 AWG (American Wire Gauge), which is roughly 1/4". Not to day that it is not out there, but standard building wire is much softer and bends real easy compared to arial cable.
Just my .02 cents worth.
Kilowattkid

Here is something to think about. Seemingly far fetched but there might be some merit to it.
Bear with me here,
I used to be into shooting muzzle loaders really heavy, and belonged to several clubs. Some of my friends decided that the wooden ram rods that come with the rifles were not as safe as they could be since the patched bullet has to be really tight in the barrel, and when ramming it down the ramrod is under a lot of pressure. Not anything like you see on TV. It takes both hands to seat the bullet, and the wood rod could break and run through your arm or hand. I used hickory only and soaked them in linseed oil. They were much stronger that way and not as likely to break. "However, "
Some of the guys decided to use brass and aluminum ram rods.
After a while the rifle would not shoot straight, and it was found that the softer metal of the ram rod was picking up abrasives and becoming like a grinder on the harder barrel especially at the muzzle. The rubbing of the two together, was actually wearing the harder metal some. Of course the ram rod wore some too but the barrel was ruined.
What I am getting at here is that I have taken the brass pins out of several razors and the hole in the razor tang was egg shaped.
I think this might be what is going on. The softer the metal the more likely for this to happen. Of course this would take a long time, and the razor would have to be opened and closed a lot for this to happen but I saw rifles ruined within a few months like this. With razors, when stroping them, there is sideways pressure on the pin. I thein that is what egg shapes the hole. Eventually they came up with a guide for the rod sort of like a funnel that sits in the mouth of the muzzle to stebelise the rod. Just my two cents worth. Mack

Could the softer copper be heated in a flame and then quenched in water to harden it? If anyone can tell me this is the way to go I will have to raid my father in-laws collection of copper cable.

Nah ! that won't do much to it. maybe make it softer, if it has any work hardening in it now from the extruding process of making it.

Copper work hardens.

This means that through the actual working of the metal - hammering, folding, rolling, drawing, etc. - the crystalline structure of the copper becomes harder. So, you could simply start gently hammering your copper and it will become harder by means of this action.

But be careful. Besides just become harder, the copper can build up internal stress and then - if worked too long - will start to crack and split. These stresses can be relieved by simply heating (annealing) the copper to a dull red heat, after which one can continue to work the copper further. Unfortunately, while this annealing operation removes the stresses from the copper, it also completely removes any work-induced hardening.

Regarding what mackie said about the copper ramrods and the muzzleloader rifles, I believe him. It is true that while the copper is softer than the steel of barrel, this very softness allows its surface to hold grit and/or other fine abrasives.

Clockmakers encounter the very same problem in that the pierced brass plates which serve as the front and back of clock mechanisms hold onto the dirt at the drilled pivot holes, wearing down the steel of the gear wheel axles pivots.

Now as to whether or not you would open and close a straight razor often enough to wear it through (?). Well, I doubt that, but in any case, I would always choose for brass, nickel silver or stainless steel instead of copper for my razor pins.

Originally Posted by mackie

Why not make some copper washers and use brass or stainless pins? Mack

Nice Idea! Thanks

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I bought an ounce of pure copper for the heck of it a couple years ago...still looks the same in regards to the oxidation though. I'm sure it would work just fine for anything but a pivot pin. One guy on here made a set of scales out of some copper pipe & they looked really cool...

That was me . Thanks for the nice words.