Thread: Re-drilling the pivot hole in the tang

Originally Posted by Bruce

Sera,

That's much too easy. It involves no machine tools at the outset (and maybe even at the inset) and no great fussing about.

Better one does....

cheers,

No power tools...... but banging on something with a hammer always feels good!

Seraphim's idea of using the brass insert is a good one though. The point I would take home is that there are many ways to relieve this kitty of their coat.

Bruce, when I have been allowed to leave Rockwell dents in someone else's razors, I've found that hardness can vary widely.

You know, JB Weld might work...I dropped an airbrush a number of years ago and snapped off the bottom tube feed that was brazed on. I scuffed the parts up and added a dose of JB Weld and it's still together to this day...and that was fifteen years ago and bonded to chrome. Makes me wonder if you didn't fill that hole up and then sand it flat, then drill it.

Just about all the razors I have bought of Ebay have required some repair to the pivot pin. I use Selleys, Steel Knead It. It is an epoxy that can be hand kneaded and sets in around 10 minutes. It gives great results (I can't say for how long though). I ALWAYS inlarge the pivot pin hole in the tang, this has required using diamond tiped reamers on a Dremal, or if I'm lucky a 3/32" drill. I then fill the enlarged hole with the epoxy and then drill with a 3/32" drill so I can insert a piece of 3/32" brass tube. Sounds tight I know but I also haven't come across a pin hole yet that was straight, and therefore a straight pivot pin either! Once the 3/32" tube is inserted and left very slightly raised either side of the tang, I can then place a 3/32" brass (bearing) washer over the insert, and then 1/16" pin straight through the sucker! Fits as snug as!! I wouldn't dream of trying this without a drill press, and I am still trying to work out the best way to get the new hole perpendicular through the tang. If anybody can help there I would be very greatfull!!
I've, (hopefully) included a picture of a pivot pin hole I have restored recently.

The way I make sure my drill press is drilling perpendicular is to drill a hole in a 2x4 or thicker piece and then stick a rod in the hole and check for square. It has worked for me to get the pivot hole in pocket knives. Before drilling I put a prop under the front of the drill press table. When drilling steel, the table will flex forward just a hair due to lack of support on the front of the table. It is very slight but I built a small metal lathe from scratch once and accuracy was important. That is how I drill the end of a rod. I drill a hole the size of the rod and stick it in the hole and then drill the end. Mack

I'm with Philadelph on this one... I've never filled in & re-drilled a pivot hole.

I do put 3/32" OD 1/16" ID tube overtop my 1/16" pin, if the hole is large enough. if its not, I jsut use the 1/16" rod only.

The only time I ever find a blade to be loose enough to be annoying...has been times when the 3/32" tube fits, and it fixes the annoyance. So, no need to drill. ever. for me anyway.

Just make sure you never make the tube wider than the tang..otherwise no matter how long you peen the blade will never get tight

My concern with not fixing the egg shaped hole is that no matter how secure you peen the pin, after a while there will eventually be a very slight movement or sliding, if you will, of the handle. It may not be noticable at first but it will happen and when it does " if the razor is used enough" it will egg shape the hole in the scale. Remember, when the manufacture made the razor, the hole was secure and it ended up egg shaped. The stress of opening and closing and stroping etc. will eventually cause problems. Besides, I am obsessive about mine.

Originally Posted by mackie

The way I make sure my drill press is drilling perpendicular is to drill a hole in a 2x4 or thicker piece and then stick a rod in the hole and check for square. It has worked for me to get the pivot hole in pocket knives. Before drilling I put a prop under the front of the drill press table. When drilling steel, the table will flex forward just a hair due to lack of support on the front of the table. It is very slight but I built a small metal lathe from scratch once and accuracy was important. That is how I drill the end of a rod. I drill a hole the size of the rod and stick it in the hole and then drill the end. Mack

Thanks Mack,
I'll give the timber trick a go. I normally check the drill bit with a sliding protractor I have (for measuring golf club head angles). I don't think there would be much movement in the support table as I am only drilling through the epoxy steel, fairly simple and little pressure is required. I think my major problem lies in getting the tang perpendicular to the drill bit. I normally just lay the razor on a piece of timber, but as I'm sure you know tangs are most often not uniformally thick but taper towards the end. Makes it hard to keep the tang perpendicular.

I've only done one so far, it had an egg shaped hole that I cleaned up with a 3/32nd drill bit inserted the same size tube and repinned with 1/16th brass rod simple fast and easy.